I'm You
by Bindy417
Summary: Sequel to More Than Anyone. After five years of marriage, Nathan and Haley are still going strong. They've got their dream jobs, wonderful family and friends, more money than they could possibly ever need, and, most of importantly, each other. But as lif
1. Prologue

**I'm You**

By Bindy417

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _One Tree Hill _or its characters. It belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. The title is based on the song by Leona Lewis.

**Summary:** Sequel to More Than Anyone. After five years of marriage, Nathan and Haley are still going strong. They've got their dream jobs, wonderful family and friends, more money than they could possibly ever need, and, most of importantly, each other. But as life often proves, nothing can ever stay perfect for long.

**Author's Note: **Hey everyone, it's finally here! I know you've all been waiting for this story for a long time. Thank you all for your patience. I wanted to make sure that this story was close to finished and the best it possibly could be before I posted it. I'd also like to say a very special thank you to Ashly for all of her input and help with this fic. You're the best! I hope that you guys will really enjoy this sequel and the continuation of Naley's story from the world I created in MTA. So without further ado, please read and tell me what you think! **  
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* * *

**Prologue**

**June**** 29, 2012**

Nathan watched his wife's face carefully. She hadn't said anything in the last couple of minutes, and the way she was biting her lip was making him a bit nervous. He figured that she would be a little shocked after his announcement, but he hoped that she would understand. In fact, he knew she would. She always supported him no matter what. She just needed some time to process it all. That was it.

"Hales," Nathan said after another moment of silence passed. "Say something."

"I don't know what to say."

"Well, what are you thinking?"

She bit her lip again and looked down at her hands. He noticed her twirling her wedding band around her finger. That wasn't usually a good sign.

"Is this a definite thing? Is it really going to happen?"

"Yes," he answered.

Haley shook her head. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I…I can't," she stated. "We can't."

"Can't what?"

"We can't go through with this."

"I don't understand." Nathan let her words register in his mind. He still wasn't quite sure what she meant. "Haley, we don't really have a choice."

"I wanted to tell you this before. I was going to tell you about this before…well, all of this stuff happened. But it never seemed like the right time and then I just sort of pushed it to the back of my mind and—"

"Haley, you're rambling. What's going on?"

"Nathan, I don't want to go," she repeated.

"Haley, what are you talking about? You knew that this would happen eventually."

"Yes, I knew, but it's not what I wanted. And I certainly didn't expect this new development. This completely changes things, Nathan."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does, Nathan. It changes everything."

"Haley, this is my career we're talking about," he reminded her. He couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. He hadn't seen this coming at all.

"I know that. And you know that I've always supported you. But I can't pretend this time that it doesn't affect me."

"'This time'?" he repeated. "Meaning you didn't like it the last time?"

"Nathan—"

"What exactly have you been pretending to feel, Haley?" he bit out.

"Nathan, please don't be angry. I didn't mean it like that."

"No, I think that's exactly how you meant it. And apparently you've been lying to me about your feelings for the last three years. So yeah, I think I have the right to be angry at the moment." He stood up and faced the wall while running his hand through his hair.

"Nathan, all I'm saying is that this place has always felt like home to me. And for a while I was able to forget how much I missed it. But now…"

"Now what?" he prodded.

"Now it's not so easy. Now I know where I belong. Where _we_ belong. It's right here."

He turned to face her. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. I can't believe you're telling me this now."

"I'm sorry, but I can't lie."

"You could before."

"I didn't lie," Haley objected. "I was so happy for you. I was so proud of you. I wanted you to have everything you worked so hard for."

"And now you want to take it all away. Is that it?" Nathan accused.

"Of course not. But if we do this, then I'm not going to be happy. Don't you think I matter in any of this?"

"You'll adjust."

"It's not that simple, Nathan," she argued, "and you know it."

"What do you want me to do, Haley? Huh?" he challenged, his voice rising. "This is my team we're talking about. We're building something. I can't turn my back on it."

"And what about me, Nathan? I'm your wife. What about our family? Doesn't that matter at all to you?" Haley threw back, her volume matching his. She stood up, as well.

"Of course it does. But I thought everything was fine up until a couple of minutes ago. Now you've turned everything upside down and backwards."

"Oh, so you can make big life changes for us, but I can't tell you how I feel?"

"It's a feeling, Haley. It'll pass, and you'll get over it. You're just overwhelmed."

"Yes, I'm overwhelmed! You just came to tell me instead of discussing it with me first. Of course that's upsetting!"

"Well, it's not my fault, since I thought you were okay with everything. I'm so sorry I'm not a mind reader!"

"Well, now you know," she shouted.

"It doesn't change the fact that we have to go along with this."

"No, we don't. There are other options out there for you, Nathan."

"I don't want any other options."

"Why are you being so stubborn? Why won't you even consider just—"

"Because what you're asking me to do could put my whole career in jeopardy!"

"So I don't matter at all? Gee, thanks, Nathan. That's really great."

"Don't put this on me."

"You're the one apparently making all of the decisions here. And since you're doing so well on your own, why don't you just go on without me!"

"Maybe I will!" Nathan yelled back.

Haley suddenly turned her back to him. But not before Nathan saw the unshed tears glistening in her eyes. He heard her sniffle a moment later. "Excuse me," she said and left the room.

Nathan flinched when he heard the bathroom door slam down the hall. He took a seat on the couch and placed his head in his hands. It's not like he'd been all that thrilled about the news he'd received earlier, but he was dealing with it. He had to. So many people were counting on him, and there was also his condition to consider. That had changed everything.

Then there was Haley. Nathan thought that she'd be surprised and maybe a little bit upset. He never expected the reaction that she'd had, though. He had absolutely no idea that she was so deeply attached to this place. She loved it; Nathan knew that. But he'd also been under the impression that she was happy before they came here. To find out the opposite was true now was a blow.

Nathan sighed. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He sat there for a while, thinking about it. It wasn't until he noticed the sun setting that he realized he hadn't heard Haley come out of the bathroom. Instantly he felt somewhat guilty. Despite everything he shouldn't have gotten her so upset. The stress wasn't good for her.

Nathan stood up and made his way down the hall. He knocked on the bathroom door gently. "Haley," he called. There was no answer. "Haley, open up."

He listened carefully but heard nothing. Normally he would assume that she was giving him the silent treatment. Considering he couldn't hear any crying or sniffling, it struck him as odd.

"Hales," Nathan repeated and knocked on the door. He heard a faint sound, almost like a whimper. "Haley?"

Nathan heard it again but louder. His whole body went rigid at her tone. Haley didn't sound sad or angry. She sounded like she was…in pain.

"Haley," he called, panicked, and opened the door. It was unlocked. He stepped inside and froze at the sight. "Oh my God."

* * *

It was raining outside. The sound of the water droplets could be heard against the building along with the slight rumbling of thunder in the sky. Nathan sighed and placed his head in his hands. As much as he usually loved the rain, nothing could make him feel better right now.

"Are you okay?"

Nathan recognized the voice instantly. He looked up to make sure that he wasn't hearing things; anything was possible at this point. Just as he thought, his brother Lucas was standing in front of him. "I really wish everyone would stop asking me that," Nathan mumbled.

"I'll take that as a no." Lucas sat in the seat beside him.

Nathan watched as a group of doctors and nurses passed by, tending to someone on a stretcher. They disappeared behind the ER doors. How he wished he could follow them. He needed to know what was going on. His whole life and everything he held dear were beyond those double doors.

"It's going to be okay, Nathan," Lucas said.

"I'm glad you think so."

"Nathan—"

"No offense, Luke, but I'm not in the mood for one of your pep talks right now," he cut him off. "You're the last person who should be giving advice to anyone." As soon as the words left his mouth, Nathan regretted them.

Lucas looked down at the ground with a resigned expression on his face. "I guess you're right."

Nathan sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I'm just…I can't think straight at the moment."

"Have you heard anything?" Lucas asked quietly.

"No," he answered with a shake of his head. The different scenarios started to replay over in his mind. Nathan could feel the tears building behind his eyes and held them back. Crying wouldn't do him any good now. "All I know is that this shouldn't be happening. It's all wrong."

"We don't know anything yet."

"You didn't see it happen. You didn't see how she looked. You weren't there." The anguish in his voice was potent.

"Haley's a strong woman. If anyone can get through something like this, it's her," Lucas encouraged.

"God, Luke, I don't know what to do." He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "If anything happens to her or—"

"Don't think like that. Okay? Don't make yourself sick until you know what's going on for sure."

Nathan placed his head in his hands, once again. It was all too much to take. Life never seemed to get any easier no matter how much time passed. "Have you ever had someone who was the best part of you?"

Lucas was silent for a moment. "Yes."

"You ever lose them?"

He drew in a shaky breath. "Yes."

Nathan glanced away when he noticed the pained expression on his brother's face. "Well, it doesn't have to be permanent for you," he said. "I'm surprised you're even here."

"I guess when something like this happens, it…well…it tends to put things into perspective," Lucas stated.

Nathan met his gaze and nodded in understanding. "Yeah, it does." He then added a second later, "Brooke's here."

That seemed to pique Lucas's interest. "Where?"

"She and Karen went to get some coffee and food. They'll probably be back soon."

"Oh." Nathan could tell that his brother was trying his best not to look like he cared. But it was obvious that the opposite was true.

The two were silent for a couple of minutes. Nathan watched the ER doors intently. He sat up in his chair when they opened, but the disappointment soon set in when a random nurse walked out.

"God, I hate hospitals," he muttered. Everything was so white and unsettling. All of these sick people in one place was depressing.

"Me, too," Lucas said.

"This is all my damn fault."

"Why would you say that?"

Nathan couldn't help but think about everything that had happened over the last several months. Everything had just kept building up. Today seemed to be the culmination of it all. "I'd rather not go into it right now."

Lucas nodded and let it go.

Several minutes passed until Nathan finally spotted the doctor. She was heading toward him. He felt a wave of relief followed by another bout of anxiety. Whatever she was about to tell him did not look like good news.


	2. Chapter 1

**Wow, thank you all so much for your reviews last chapter! They were very fun to read. I know that you all have a lot of questions about Naley and what happened to the rest of the gang. Like MTA, the chapters will be taking place in the past and working their way to the present. Not everything will be revealed right away, but that's part of the fun. Here is the next chapter for you guys. Please read and review!**

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**Chapter 1**

_**December**__** 16, 2011**_

Nathan Scott stared outside the plane window. There wasn't much to see besides the clouds and darkness hiding the barely-visible land below. Nathan liked flying; he really did. But after being stuck in the same seat for nearly four hours, he couldn't wait until the plane finally landed.

It wasn't anything he wasn't used to by now. Heavy travel came with the territory of being in the NBA. Every week or so there was an away game or some function that he'd have to attend with his team. After graduating from Duke two years ago, Nathan had been drafted by the Seattle Sonics. He remembered every detail about that day—from what he ate for breakfast to the color of the t-shirt he was wearing. But what stuck out most in his mind was sitting on the edge of his seat while watching as name after name flashed across the TV screen. It didn't sink in that he'd actually made it to the NBA until he heard his own name called and listed amongst the other NBA draft picks.

Basketball had always been a huge part of Nathan's life. It had been his dream as a child to be in the NBA. He'd worked and pushed himself so hard over the years to make it this far. And now that he had, he sometimes found it difficult to believe that he'd made it. That he was actually living his dream.

"Hey, Big Time, what are you thinking about so hard?"

Nathan looked over to see his teammate and good friend Tony Battle watching him curiously. "Nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

Tony shifted in his seat. "Man, you'd think that since we're in First Class these damn seats would be more comfortable."

Nathan smirked. "You could always request one of those donut things to sit on."

"And look like a pansy? Hell no!" Tony objected.

Nathan laughed. Tony was an entertaining guy to be around. He could make any situation funny, which often came in handy when the stress of a tight schedule and important games started to add up. Nathan had met Tony briefly a couple of times in college. He'd played ball against him when Tony was on the University of Maryland's team. Tony graduated a year ahead of Nathan and then joined the Sonics. When Nathan eventually got drafted and made the team, Tony was one of the first players to congratulate him and show him the ropes. They'd clicked and been good friends ever since.

"Did you see the article about me in _ESPN Magazine_?" Tony asked as he handed Nathan the magazine.

"You've only showed it to me three times," Nathan joked.

"I've seen it five times already," their other teammate D.J. added from across the aisle.

"I just wanted to share the success," Tony defended. "We're all teammates. Where's the love?"

"Hey, Nate," Kevin called from the other side of D.J. "There's another article about you and your brother in _Sports Illustrated_." He threw him the magazine.

Nathan found the article and skimmed it over. Usually these stories went one of two ways: They either talked about how great Nathan and his brother Lucas were to have both made it in the NBA, or how the competing siblings were quickly becoming one of the most anticipated rivalries in the making. Most of the time, Nathan just blew it off.

Lucas had gone on to play for the New York Knicks after graduating from Duke. He was doing really well on the team and gaining a lot of media attention—just like Nathan. The games where they played against one another were always highly publicized. The media constantly tried to play up the angle of them being in competition with one another. Unfortunately for them, he and Lucas were the complete opposite of that.

They were brothers and supported one another wholeheartedly. If one of them did well in a game or got an award, then they'd call to congratulate the other. If they had a bad game or things weren't going so well, then they were there to encourage each other. And when their teams competed head on, they didn't hold back. They played to the best of their ability. Whoever won won, plain and simple.

"What does it say this time?" Tony asked.

"They went with the rivalry angle," Nathan answered.

Tony rolled his eyes. "I swear some of these people have nothing better to do than invent shit like that all day."

"It's what usually sells," D.J. pointed out.

"I really don't care anymore." Nathan had more important things in his life to think about.

Tony shifted again in his seat. "When are we landing already?"

"We've got a little over a half hour left," Nathan replied after checking his watch.

"Thank God. I'm sore enough from the game. This seat isn't helping."

"Yeah, I'm pretty wiped. I'm gonna get some sleep." They'd played the Detroit Pistons just a few hours prior. The game had been close, but the Sonics had won. Now they were headed home for Seattle.

"I'll wake you when we land," Tony told him.

"Thanks," Nathan muttered and closed his eyes.

It felt like mere minutes had passed when Tony finally nudged him to wake up. That was one of the good things about sleeping on a plane. The time seemed to go by more quickly. Nathan buckled his seatbelt when he saw the little sign overhead light up. They'd be landing in the Sea-Tac International Airport in a couple of minutes.

He felt the plane descend and the little bump as the landing gear hit the ground. When the flight attendants made the announcement that it was safe to stand, Nathan undid his seatbelt and gathered his things. He couldn't get off of the plane fast enough.

"Where's the fire?" Tony joked.

"Just shut up and walk," Nathan replied with a smirk and pushed Tony out into the aisle.

"Anxious to see that girl of yours?"

"Maybe," he muttered, knowing full well that his friend was right.

Tony laughed. "Uh huh."

They exited the plane behind the rest of their teammates. Once they reached the end of the jetport, that's when they saw the flashing lights of the cameras. It seemed like every time they got back from an away game there were reporters and fans waiting to greet them.

"Mr. Scott, Mr. Battle, how was the game?" one of the reporters called.

"Nathan, what's the new endorsement deal we're hearing rumors about?" another one questioned.

"Can I get your autograph?" a fan requested.

"Back to the circus," Tony whispered.

Nathan saw a few kids wearing his jersey. They held magazines and pens in their hands, no doubt also wanting autographs. Nathan stopped in front of them. He always took the time to talk to the kids. He remembered being just as excited and eager to meet his idols when he was younger.

"You're so cool. You're my favorite player. I wanna be a ball player when I grow up, too," a short five-year-old declared.

"Have you started practicing yet?"

"Every day," he beamed.

Nathan smiled and ruffled his hair. "Good. Keep it up."

After signing a few more autographs, Nathan stood up and looked around, trying to spot the person he wanted to see most. More fans approached him—a few of them being college girls eager to get their picture taken and flirt with him. Nathan tried to be polite and act casual when that happened. He didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Unless they took it too far, which had occurred quite a few times before. Then he had to be firm in his rejection.

Eventually Nathan managed to get away from the crowd. He looked around the room. When he finally spotted the petite brunette with a dazzling smile, a huge grin of his own formed on his face. He headed straight for her, not letting anything or anyone get in his path.

"Do I get an autograph, too?" she teased when he hugged her tightly.

Nathan pulled back a bit to look at her. "You can get more than that," he whispered in a husky voice. He closed the small gap between them and captured her lips in his. They didn't pull away until they were both breathless.

"I've missed you," she said while caressing his cheek.

Nathan's hold on her tightened. "I've missed you, too, Hales."

Nathan kissed his wife's forehead. He loved being in the NBA and having the opportunity to travel to different places, but nothing compared to how much he loved coming home to her.

"I've got dinner in the oven at home," she told him. "I'm making prime rib—your favorite."

Nathan's stomach growled in anticipation. "It sounds great. I'm starving."

Haley giggled softly. "I figured."

"Mr. Scott," another reporter called to him.

Nathan and Haley exchanged a knowing look.

"Why don't we get out of here?" Haley suggested, reading his mind.

"Definitely."

* * *

Haley rushed around the kitchen as she tried to get dinner ready. She wanted everything to be perfect. It was going to be a big night for them. She could already feel the butterflies in her stomach.

Nathan had been gone for two weeks due to his hectic schedule with basketball. Haley hated it when he was gone. The apartment always felt so empty, and she could barely sleep without him next to her. Sure, they'd talk on the phone to each other every night, but it still wasn't the same as having him there with her. She was used to it by now, though.

It had been really hard when Nathan had first been drafted into the NBA. Haley was accustomed to traveling with Nathan at Duke, since she was a cheerleader for the Blue Devils. They never had to be apart from each other for that long, and they didn't want to be. Ever since that big fight they'd had toward the end of their first year of marriage—in which Haley had gone to stay with her sister Vivian for a week—neither one liked to be apart from the other. They'd been so close to losing their marriage, and the time apart had been painful. She and Nathan had both realized during that period of separation just how much they really needed and wanted to be together.

When Nathan joined the Sonics after they graduated, everything changed. Not only did he have to go on the road a lot more, but they also had to move to a whole new city. It took some getting used to at first. Seattle was much colder than her hometown of Honey Grove in California, Durham where Duke was located, or Tree Hill—which was Nathan's hometown in North Carolina and where they had lived when they were off from school. Add the fact that Haley didn't know anyone in this new place, and it made for an awkward transition.

They'd been living Seattle for two years now, and Haley had eventually learned to adjust. Playing in the NBA was an amazing achievement for Nathan. It was his dream. Haley would never begrudge him that. She was so proud of how far he'd come. He sure as hell had worked his butt off to get where he was now. The large paycheck certainly helped, too.

It's how they managed to afford their penthouse apartment. The place was beautiful. From the front door was a short hallway that led into the large, open downstairs. To the left were their stairs to the second floor. In front of that was their living room with a fireplace. They currently had their Christmas tree set up in the corner for the holidays. An entryway from the living room led into the dining room. To the right was their kitchen. The countertops and long island were made with dark blue granite, which offset the light blue walls. Several feet in front of the island was their table and chair set. They hardly ever ate on it except for special occasions—like tonight. There was also a private balcony that was could be accessed through the glass doors in the kitchen.

The second floor of the apartment included a long hallway. On the end to the left was their master bedroom and bathroom. A few feet down was the room that Nathan used for his in-home gym. The guest bedroom and bathroom were toward the right of that. The final room on the end was the study, which Haley often used when she needed to get work done.

Haley looked up from making the salad when she heard Nathan playing with the dog. "Come on, Duke," he said while pulling on the toy. "I can't throw it if you don't let go."

Haley smiled. Duke was their Chocolate Labrador Retriever. Nathan had given him to Haley for Christmas last year. She'd practically melted when she saw the puppy with a red bow around his neck. He was so cute. Haley had remembered telling Nathan that she missed having a pet. She'd loved her dog Rocket before he died. Duke was just as sweet and friendly.

Haley also had a feeling that Nathan had gotten the dog for her safety. He didn't like her being completely alone in the apartment while he was away—especially since he was becoming such a high-profile athlete now. Nathan had earned quite a reputation for his skills on the court in the short time that he was part of the Sonics. Not to mention all of the endorsement deals he'd been offered lately. With the success and fame came the danger of them being the target of awful things that Haley dared not even think about. Nevertheless, having Duke worked out perfectly since he was so protective of her. If anyone even looked at Haley the wrong way, Duke would get angry. He was a very perceptive dog.

"Something smells good," Nathan commented as he walked over to her.

"The food is almost done," she told him.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek. "Yeah, that, too."

"Charmer," she teased.

Nathan smirked. "You know you love it."

Haley turned so that she was facing him. "Keep talking like that and we'll never make it through dinner."

"Fine by me," he mumbled, leaning in. "Why don't we go upstairs so I can kiss you for a couple hours, huh?"

Haley moaned as his mouth claimed hers. He hadn't been able to keep his hands off of her since they'd arrived home. Not that she was complaining, but she had something special planned. Something big that she was excited to tell him about. She couldn't afford to get distracted.

"Later," she promised after pulling away.

Duke then came strolling toward them and nuzzled her leg. "It looks like someone else wants some attention from me, too," Haley joked.

"I had you first," he muttered.

Haley shook her head playfully at her husband and pet Duke's head. "Men." She gave Nathan one last peck on the lips before checking on their dinner.

Nathan walked over to the liquor cabinet. "I might as well make myself useful. Did you want some wine, Hales?"

"Not tonight," she answered.

Nathan frowned. "You sure?" Haley had never been much of a drinker, but she did like a little bit of red wine with dinner from time to time.

"Yes, I'm sure."

Nathan shrugged and poured himself a glass. He walked back over to the island. "Did you need help with anything else?"

"Um, you could start taking the food over to the table."

Nathan did as she said while Haley lit the candles on the table and took a seat. They loaded up their plates and started eating. Nathan groaned after tasting the first bite. Damn, his wife could cook. It was so much better than eating hotel and airplane food.

"Good?"

"More like amazing. You're lucky I'm not fat."

Haley blushed at his compliment, causing Nathan to smile.

"What?" Haley questioned when she noticed him watching her. "Is there something on my face?"

Nathan shook his head. "No."

"Then what is it?"

"You're beautiful," he stated. "And I'm loving the hair."

"Really?" Haley questioned. "You don't think it's too short?"

Haley had decided that she wanted to change her look. It was last year that she had dyed her golden blond hair to a chocolate brown. Just recently she'd decided to shorten her usually long hair. It was now only a few inches above her shoulders and wavy. She was twenty three, soon to be twenty four. Haley thought that it made her look more mature. She wasn't sure how Nathan would like it, since he was gone when she got it done. Just so he wouldn't be completely shocked when he returned home, she told him about it over the phone.

"No. As long as I can still run my hands through it then it's fine," he teased.

Haley smiled. "Good."

"How's school been?" Nathan questioned as they continued eating. Haley worked at Roosevelt High School there in Seattle as an English teacher. Remembering his own high school years, Nathan wasn't surprised at the crazy stories she often told him about.

"It's been kind of rough with midterms and everything. I've been up late grading them and a whole bunch of papers," Haley answered. "But winter break starts next week, so that's something to look forward to."

"And you've got two weeks off this year, right?"

Haley nodded. "Yup. Thank God. I need a break."

"You look a little tired," Nathan noticed as he gently rubbed her hand.

"What about you?" she asked. "I watched your game. You did well."

"Thanks. It was close."

"Do you have the weekend off this time?"

"I have a game on Sunday, but we're playing Minnesota. So it won't be far."

"Good. I just got you back."

Nathan kissed her hand. "So, anything else happen while I was gone?"

Haley bit her lip nervously. "Um…yeah."

"What?"

"Well, uh…" she trailed off. Haley had been waiting anxiously to tell him the big news for a week. Now that she was put on the spot, she wasn't sure she wanted to tell him right this second. She suddenly didn't even know how to go about saying it.

Luckily, the timer on the oven went off, saving her. "Dessert is ready," she declared and quickly stood up.

Nathan frowned. Was he imagining things, or did she seem a bit jumpy all of sudden?

"I made double fudge brownies," Haley said as she put them on top of the oven to cool.

Meanwhile, Nathan got up to give Duke his dinnertime treat.

"I just have to frost them, but they're still kind of hot," Haley explained. "We might have to wait a few minutes."

"That's okay," Nathan replied. He fed Duke and walked over to her. "We can do something else while we're waiting."

Haley felt her skin tingle when Nathan's hands gently caressed her arms. He kissed her mouth softly as his hands slid around her shoulders and down to her waist. Nathan pushed her back into the island as his body pressed snugly against hers. Haley instantly felt her breathing become ragged as Nathan kissed a trail down her neck. Her eyes practically rolled into the back of her head at the sensation.

"Why don't we just skip dessert?" Nathan suggested. His wife was the only thing he really wanted right now anyway.

Haley ran a hand through his short, dark hair. "I-I still have something to tell you," she managed to choke out.

Nathan's mouth captured hers, once again, in a passionate kiss. He nibbled on her bottom lip before pulling away. "Tell me later."

Haley was about to protest once more when her gaze locked with his. Nathan's eyes were dark and intense. It made goose bumps form on her arms as she shook with the same amount of desire for him. Two weeks was a long time not to be with the man you loved. Almost instantly she found herself desperate and starving for his touch. Maybe a little distraction wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

"Well, those brownies are definitely cold by now," Haley commented an hour later. The two were upstairs lying in their king-sized bed, neither one feeling the urge to break their comfortable position.

Nathan laughed as he ran a hand through her hair and down the naked skin of her back. "Sometimes you have to make sacrifices," he joked.

Haley gave him a flirty smile. "I must really love you if I'm willing to pass up chocolate."

"Damn straight."

"But at least I'll be able to get some sleep tonight," she said while snuggling closer to him.

"Yeah, you won't have that sugar rush."

"And you're home," she added.

Nathan kissed her forehead. "Still can't sleep without me, huh?" He didn't like hearing that she was so uncomfortable while he was away. At the same time, though, he couldn't help but feel pleased at the thought that she needed him.

"I sleep, but not well."

"Sounds familiar," he murmured. He hated not having her next to him at night. Then again, he'd always felt that way.

Haley smiled timidly as her fingers stroked his chest.

"I know how much you like waking up at the crack of dawn—" Nathan began.

"Five o'clock is not the crack of dawn," she interjected with a roll of her eyes. If it was up to her husband, half the day would've gone by before they even got out of bed.

"—but I was hoping we could sleep in tomorrow. It's a Saturday and neither of us has to work."

"I was thinking the same thing. It's actually supposed to snow tomorrow," Haley told him. "I watched the news, and it's not going to be pretty."

"Again?" Nathan groaned.

The first time it had snowed in Seattle, he'd been in awe. He'd never seen a real snowfall like that before. North Carolina wasn't really prone to such icy-cold weather. Once Nathan had driven in that frozen white mess, however, he quickly changed his mind. Roads were like icy death traps if they weren't plowed and sanded properly.

"I don't mind. I think it'll be nice and cozy. We can light a fire and drink hot chocolate."

"Sounds like a scene from a Christmas movie."

"Tis the season," Haley pointed out. She loved Christmas. It was by far her favorite holiday. Not to mention that her birthday was this month, too.

Nathan smirked at her excited expression. "You're so cute. You're like a little kid."

"Says the man who deliberately searches for his Christmas presents early," Haley retorted. She had to find a new hiding spot for his gifts each year.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Play dumb all you want, Scott, but I know what you're up to," she said while poking his chest.

Nathan had to suppress a smile. He did like to sneak a peek at his gifts every once in a while—before they were wrapped and placed under the tree. He couldn't help it. He'd never been patient, even as a kid. Unfortunately, Haley's hiding places for presents were really good.

The couple was silent for a little while. It was then that Haley was reminded of the news she had to tell him. It had been nice to forget for a short period of time, but she couldn't put it off any longer. Haley could feel her nerves slightly kicking in. She wasn't exactly sure how Nathan was going to react.

"What's the matter?" Nathan questioned.

Haley looked up at him and frowned. "Huh?"

"Is something bothering you?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Haley, you've been fidgeting with your wedding ring for the last five minutes," he told her. She always did that when something was bugging her.

Her hand stilled. "Oh."

"What's on your mind?"

"Well…um…I never did get to tell you about that thing."

"Oh. Right. What was it that you wanted to tell me?"

Haley sat up and faced him. "It's…uh…it's kind of big—but good," she quickly added. "It's really good news. Great, even."

Nathan also moved into a sitting position. "Okay. Did you get a promotion at work or something? Did they make you principal?" he kidded.

Haley shook her head and looked down at her hands. "No. It doesn't have anything to do with work."

"What is it, then?"

She grabbed one of his hands and laced their fingers together. "Before I say it, I just want you to know that I love you."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "I love you, too, Haley. But to be honest you're making me kind of nervous. This doesn't sound like it's great news." Haley seemed more anxious than she did excited at the moment.

"No, it is. Trust me," she stated while giving him a reassuring smile.

"Then just tell me," he urged, getting restless himself.

Haley paused for a few seconds to take a deep, calming breath. "I'm pregnant," she finally revealed.

Nathan's eyes widened in shock as his mouth dropped open. "Oh."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Nathan woke up early the next morning—not that he'd managed to get much sleep last night after hearing Haley's news. It all felt like a dream. Like it couldn't actually be happening. He was soon brought back to reality, however, when the sound of retching could be heard from the bathroom. Forgetting his shock at the moment, Nathan sprung into action. He got out of bed and quickly made his way into the other room.

Sure enough, Haley was bent over the toilet, sick. Nathan came up behind her to grab her short hair and keep it out of her face. Meanwhile, his other hand gently rubbed her back. It was another moment before her sickness seemed to pass.

"Are you done?" Nathan questioned.

Haley was silent for a few seconds. "Yeah. I think so." She stood up with the help of Nathan and moved over to the sink.

Nathan watched as she rinsed out her mouth and brushed her teeth. He didn't know that much about pregnancy. He had heard of morning sickness, but was it supposed to be that bad? "Are you okay now?"

Haley placed her toothbrush back in its holder. "Yes."

"How often does that happen?"

Haley shrugged. "It comes and goes. It's the worst in the morning."

"You get it at other times, too?"

"Yeah. I had to step out from one of my classes last week to run to the bathroom," she explained. That had been an awful day. She'd been nauseated throughout almost all of her classes. Haley had done everything she could to stay in control and finish out the rest of the day.

"When did you find out?" Nathan asked curiously.

Haley ran a hand through her hair. "Last week. I'd gone to the doctors, because I wasn't feeling well. I thought that it was probably the flu that had been going around the high school. They did some tests, and then gave me a call when they learned what it was."

Nathan rubbed his eyes. "You've known since last week," he said as her words registered. He remembered being worried about her when she said on the phone that she didn't feel well. He, too, had thought it was just a cold. Now to learn that it was because she was pregnant, Nathan felt like he'd been left out of the loop.

Haley nodded in response.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked, his tone coming out a little sharper than he meant it.

Haley felt her eyes start to water. This was not how she'd envisioned his reaction at all. "Because I didn't want to tell you something like that over the phone," she answered, her voice hitching at the end. She turned away from him and made her way back into the bedroom.

Nathan inwardly cursed at himself. Upsetting her was the last thing he should be doing right now. He watched as she took a seat on the edge of their bed, her head in her hands. Nathan followed. He sat down beside her carefully and touched her back.

Haley shook him off before mumbling, "I went crazy making sure everything was perfect last night. I made your favorite meal, set up the table really nice, and even planned out how I was going to tell you. I wasn't exactly sure what your reaction was going to be, but I assumed you'd at least be a little excited or happy. You know, have some sort of positive response."

"Hales, I am happy," he stated honestly. Haley was his wife; he loved her more than anything. And now she was carrying his child. Nathan could never see that as something bad.

"No, you're not," she objected. "All you said when I told you was 'oh.' 'Oh,' Nathan." Her heart had completely sunk when he'd said that and then mumbled something about needing sleep. Haley had been up all night with her stomach in knots thinking about it.

"Baby, I'm sorry. Okay? I was just…I was shocked. I still am."

"We'd always talked about having kids," Haley reminded him.

"I know that, but I just assumed it'd be later on. When we're older," he explained.

"Well, surprises happen, Nathan. Besides, most women on average have their first child around the age of twenty five," she informed him. "I'm going to be twenty four, Nathan. I don't see what's so bad about right now."

Nathan brought his hand to her face and was relieved when she didn't flinch away this time. "It's not that it's bad. It's just unexpected."

Haley nodded briefly as a few more tears escaped. She still wasn't entirely convinced that he was telling her the truth about how he felt.

"Hales, what do you want me to say?" he asked.

"I don't know. I guess I'd just been hoping that you'd say whatever it is we'll face it together. That you've never been so happy. And that everything is going to be okay. But I don't want you to say it just to say it. I want you to mean it."

Nathan wiped at her tears before meeting her gaze. "Hales, I love you. And I want to have babies with you. So whatever it is, we'll face it together. I've never been so happy. And everything is going to be okay."

"You really mean it?" she asked, making sure. Haley had been just as surprised when she found out that she was pregnant. That didn't stop her, though, from being thrilled at the news. She loved babies and had always wanted to have children of her own. All she wanted more than anything right now was to share this amazing moment with her husband.

"I really mean it," he promised.

Haley leaned in to give him a tender kiss on the lips. "Thank you."

Nathan smiled before lowering his hand to her stomach. It was hard to believe there was actually a baby growing inside when it was still so flat.

"Can you feel anything?"

"I think it's a little early for that," she laughed.

"How far along are you?"

"Six weeks," she replied.

Nathan's eyebrows rose as he did the math. "Six weeks?"

* * *

_**November 4, 2011**_

_Nathan stepped into the shower. The Sonics had had a game against the Houston Rockets an hour earlier, followed by some interviews with the press. Now he was finally back at his hotel room. Nathan allowed the hot water to relax his aching muscles. The team would be traveling again early tomorrow—this time to Boston to face the Celtics. After his shower, Nathan planned to call Haley and then go to bed. He was going to need a good night's sleep for tomorrow's game. _

_Nathan spent a few more minutes in the shower before getting out. He dried off, wrapped the towel around his waist, and headed into the bedroom. He'd only walked a few feet when he suddenly stopped short at the sight before him. Haley was standing in front of his bed wearing nothing more than his basketball jersey and a pair of heels. _

_Haley couldn't help but smile at the stunned expression on his face. She'd been hoping to surprise him. "Nice room," she commented. Her cheeks instantly flamed up when she eyed him in only a towel. "Nice view, too."_

"_Hales, what are you doing here?" he asked once he'd recovered enough to speak._

"_Well, I know that your schedule has been crazy these last few weeks. So I figured I'd make a surprise visit," she explained. "Plus, I missed you. __Is that okay?" she questioned when he went silent again. He was just staring at her._

"_What? Oh, yeah. It's fine. More than fine, actually," Nathan stated as his eyes bored into her. _

"_Good," she said with a smile. _

_A smirk spread across his face. "But I should warn you, my wife doesn't like it when groupies sneak into my room," he teased._

_Haley rolled her eyes. She knew exactly what he was talking about. There had been an incident last season when one of the fan girls had actually managed to get past security and into Nathan's room. The girl even had the audacity to try and jump in the shower with him. _

_Nathan had quickly called security to escort her out. He'd later called Haley and told her about what happened. She was pissed to say the least but was glad that Nathan had been honest with her. The incident had been in the tabloids the next day. It took a little while before the stupid media let go of that one. _

"_Well, I have a feeling she would like me," Haley replied as she walked toward him. _

_Nathan practically shuddered when her fingers traced up and down his bare chest. "Is that so?" he whispered huskily._

"_Mm hmm," she muttered before placing soft, open-mouthed kisses on his neck. _

_His whole body quivered at the contact. Her lips left a hot trail as they made their way across his flesh. With his hectic schedule lately, they hadn't had that many chances to be together. His plans to have a quiet, early night were suddenly out the window—not that he'd complain. _

"_I am your biggest fan," she murmured against his chest, the smell of his soap filling her nostrils. _

_Her flirtatious tone instantly caused the fire burning within him to heat up further. Nathan smirked. "I can see that," he said, playing along, as his hands went to her waist. The view of her trim figure covered by his much larger jersey was a major turn-on, coming a close second to the sight of his old jersey number that was tattooed on her lower back. That never failed either. _

"_Well, you're not going to disappoint me, are you?" she teased lowly, finally pulling back and looking up into his eyes. Her stomach did flip flops as his hold tightened and gaze smoldered. _

_Nathan didn't say anything else. Instead he swooped down to capture her lips in a searing kiss. Haley moaned loudly as his mouth moved roughly over hers. She met him with the same amount of force and enthusiasm. She'd missed him so much these last few weeks. Her body was aching with a desperate want and need for him. _

_Nathan's hands gripped the material of the jersey before he quickly lifted her up and walked them toward the bed. Haley's legs instinctively wrapped around his hips. Nathan couldn't suppress the groan when he felt that she wasn't wearing anything underneath the long garment. _

_Haley's breathing became heavier as his large form pressed her snugly into the mattress. His face was buried in her neck while his hands slid up under the jersey to touch her bare skin. _

"_Nathan," she whimpered when he started to massage her breasts. Her tiny hands firmly gripped his biceps. _

"_Damn, baby, you are so fucking sexy," he growled, making his way down her body. He lifted the jersey up just enough so that he could nip and suck at the soft, silky skin of her stomach. The lower he got, the more the heat started to radiate throughout her body. It wasn't until she felt his mouth on her center that Haley's breath caught in her throat. _

_Nathan's grip on her hips strengthened when he felt Haley's body writhe beneath him. He couldn't help the satisfaction that shot through him when he noticed that her head was thrown back as she gripped the bed sheets, his name spilling from her lips with every swipe of his tongue. He loved seeing her so open and uninhibited around him. It was almost enough to make him lose it right then and there. _

_One of Haley's hands fisted in Nathan's hair as she held him to her. She could barely breathe as his mouth and fingers did the most wonderful and provocative things to her. With each stroke she felt herself unraveling. If he wasn't holding onto her so tightly, she was positive she would float. _

"_N-Nathan, I'm almost—" her words halted abruptly, replaced by a loud moan as her body exploded with pleasure. _

"_I hope you weren't disappointed," he commented in a low, teasing voice moments later. _

_Haley opened her eyes to see the smirk on his face as he climbed back on top of her. She didn't bother to speak. She just wrapped her arms around his neck before leaning up to capture his lips in hers. The kiss was hot and urgent as she pulled him even closer._

_Nathan's body was sizzling with how much he wanted her right now. Haley's hands left his neck. He felt her reach between them and noticed that she was about to take the jersey off. He shook his head. "Leave it on." It was yet another reminder that the incredible woman lying beneath him was all his. _

_Haley did as he said. Instead her hands went to his towel, yanking it off and throwing it on the floor. He hissed as her fingertips scraped lightly against his abs and dipped lower, taking hold of him. He was already so hard and her touch only heightened his arousal. _

_Haley positioned him at her entrance before whispering in his ear just how much she wanted him. The longing and need she'd felt while he was gone was rising to the surface. Only Nathan could take it all away. Make it disappear, even for a little while. _

_Knowing exactly what she meant, Nathan joined them with one hard thrust. His mouth returned to hers as he began to move within her. Their coupling was fast and frenzied. They only had a limited amount of time to spend with each other before they had to go their separate ways again. And despite that they were in a strange hotel and a different bed, as long as they were together, even for a short time, they were home.

* * *

_

"Wow. So it had to be that hot night in Houston," Nathan concluded. He and Haley hadn't had any other moments to themselves after that for at least another couple of weeks. It was a night they'd never forget in more ways than one.

Haley blushed, remembering. "Yeah."

"So you'll be due in…?"

"Probably late July or early August," Haley answered. "When I see the doctor, she'll tell me the exact date."

"Well, I guess it's as good a time as any. Basketball is going great, so money definitely won't be a problem. And the baby is due when you're out of school. You'll have the summer to relax," Nathan pointed out. "You could even take some time off that school year if you wanted. Or, you know, go back mid-semester."

"I was thinking about that." Haley loved her job, but she wasn't sure she wanted to go back to work right away once the baby was born. She wanted to recover and adjust. Plus, she kind of had the feeling she wouldn't be able to let the baby out of her sight. That's what had happened to her sister Vivian when she had her daughter Deidra. Vivian had said she couldn't bear to miss one moment with her new bundle of joy.

Nathan shrugged while taking her hand in his. "We've got a lot of time, so it's not something that has to be decided today."

"Yeah," Haley agreed. "Let's see how it goes."

The two were silent for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts.

"God, if I was shocked, I wonder what everyone else is going to think," Nathan spoke up.

"Oh yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that. I was thinking that maybe we should hold off on telling them."

Nathan frowned. "Why?"

"I don't want to break the news to them over the phone, either. I mean, everyone we care about is coming to visit us this year for Christmas. I think we should tell them then."

Nathan pondered it over for a moment. "Okay. We can do that."

Haley smiled. "Really?"

"Sure. I can't wait to see their faces," he said with a smirk.

"Nathan!" she laughed while smacking his arm.

"Your parents are going to go crazy, by the way."

Haley could already picture them jumping up and down with excitement. They'd been dropping hints for the last three years about wanting grandchildren from them. "Don't remind me," she playfully groaned.

"It's going to be great," Nathan assured her with a kiss.

Haley couldn't help but smile as she felt his hand make its way onto her stomach, once again. She leaned her forehead against Nathan's. "Yeah, it is."

* * *

"Hey, Haley, come on in. You must be freezing."

"I am. Thank you," Haley said as she entered the apartment. "And I'm sorry I'm a bit late. I had to walk Duke before I came here."

"Oh, that's fine. Did you want a coffee or hot chocolate or something?" Lindsey offered as she took her coat.

"A hot chocolate would be nice," she replied while rubbing her cold hands together. The temperature was still freezing from the snow storm yesterday. It was Sunday evening, and Haley's friend Lindsey had invited her over for dinner. Lindsey was also Tony's girlfriend. They'd met at one of Nathan's first games with the Sonics and had instantly clicked.

Lindsey wasn't like the other players' girlfriends or wives. Most of them could act very stuck up and snobbish at times. Haley never felt very comfortable around them. But Lindsey was different. She was very down-to-earth and fun to be around. The two got along great together, and the tall, attractive blonde had quickly become Haley's closest friend in her new home of Seattle.

"I've already got the game on. The Sonics are leading by three points," Lindsey stated as she made her way to the kitchen.

Haley followed and took a seat at the island. She had the perfect view of the TV in the open living room from that spot. "That's good."

"I'm sorry if the place is such a mess. I've just been so stressed with work lately. I haven't had time to give it the once-over. And you know Tony. His idea of cleaning is throwing stuff in the closet or under the bed."

Haley laughed. "Oh, I know what you mean. I must tell Nathan three times a day to throw his clothes in the dirty hamper instead of the floor. I swear he gets these bad habits when he's away from me."

"Tell me about it," Lindsey agreed. "Oh, and thanks for coming over. I hate being alone in the apartment when Tony is away. And I figured we were due for a little girls night."

"No problem. I get the same feeling when Nathan is gone," Haley replied. "But at least they're not too far away and will be home tonight."

Lindsey placed the steaming hot cup of chocolate in front of Haley. "I know."

"Thanks," she said while warming her hands up on it.

Lindsey made one for herself and took a seat next to her. "I ordered some Chinese food for dinner. Is that okay?"

"Sure, I'm starved."

"Good. It should be here in another fifteen minutes."

"So, how is that book you were editing coming along?" Haley questioned. Lindsey was an editor for a publishing company called Putnam & Pratt. It was located in New York, but Lindsey could do most of her work from Seattle. Every now and then she'd take trips back and forth.

"Ugh, don't ask," she groaned.

"That bad, huh?"

"The book is fine. It's the author I'm having trouble with."

"What did he do now?"

"I try to give him some suggestions, but he completely ignores me," she explained. "He says I'm 'butchering his masterpiece.'"

Haley laughed out loud. "What?"

"I don't know," Lindsey said, sighing. "The story is good, but his sentence structure and some of the grammar is off. But apparently he can do no wrong."

"Well, I'm sure you'll get through to him eventually," Haley encouraged.

"I hope so, because I'm seriously one argument away from just chucking the manuscript at his damn head."

"I'm sure your father would love that."

"And I bet I would get a harsher punishment than if someone else had done it," she muttered. Lindsey's father was the owner of the publishing company and her boss. Haley felt sorry for her friend sometimes. Lindsey had to work twice as hard as everyone else to be taken seriously. She wanted to show her colleagues that she wasn't getting any preferential treatment just because her dad was the boss.

Haley patted her back. "Hang in there."

"What about you? How's school going?"

"It's good. I've been grading a lot of midterms and papers lately, but I've got two weeks for winter break this year. I'll be able to get the rest done then."

"Lucky you," Lindsey teased.

"I know. And to top it off, I'm having Christmas at my place this year."

"Wow, that's rough. How many people are coming?"

Haley counted quickly in her head. "Fourteen people."

"No way!"

"Oh, I'm serious."

"Who's coming?"

"There's my parents, my sister Vivian and her family, Nathan's mom and her boyfriend, Nathan's brother Lucas and his girlfriend/my friend Brooke, Nathan's Uncle Keith and his family, and our other friends Peyton and Jake."

"Damn, girl. That's a lot of people."

"I know. I'm starting to wonder if I've gone crazy by inviting everyone to Seattle this year." She and Nathan would take turns each year spending the holidays with each other's relatives. Last year she and Nathan had gone to Tree Hill to be with his family. But for once, Haley wanted to have everyone together for the holidays. So she'd invited her closest friends and family to Seattle for Christmas and New Years.

"Maybe just a little," Lindsey teased. "Please tell me they'll be staying at a hotel."

"Everyone except my parents. They'll be staying in our guest bedroom at the apartment."

"Boy am I glad that Tony and I will be going over his parents' house this year."

Haley smiled wryly. "Yeah, that sounds like a smart move."

"You already sound like you could use some of my special holiday eggnog."

"What's in it?"

"Various alcoholic beverages. Not only does it taste great, but it'll totally give you a buzz," Lindsey announced jokingly.

"It sounds good, but I shouldn't."

"You sure?"

"I'm not much of a drinker. And even if I was, I can't drink alcohol again for awhile."

Lindsey frowned. "Why not?"

"Okay, if I tell you, you have to promise me that you won't freak out. All right?"

"Why would I freak out? What, are you pregnant or something?"

Haley smiled and nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Oh my God, shut up!" Lindsey exclaimed. "You are not!"

"I am. And remember, you promised not to freak out."

"I technically never said the promise out loud," she pointed out. Haley gave her a look. "But don't worry, I'm not freaking out. I'm so happy for you," Lindsey said as she hugged her. "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"Did you tell Nathan yet?"

"I told him Friday night."

Lindsey's face lit up with excitement. "And? What did he say?"

"'Oh.'"

"What?"

"He said, 'Oh.'"

"That's it. _Oh_?"

"Well, he was really shocked. But by the next morning he could actually talk again."

Lindsey rolled her eyes in amusement. "Men," she sighed. "But he's okay now?"

"Yes. We talked, and now I think he's just as excited as I am."

"That's so great. Do your families know yet?"

Haley shook her head. "Not yet. We were going to wait for Christmas."

"That'll be a hell of a surprise."

"I know."

"Good luck."

Haley smiled as she played with her wedding ring. "Trust me, I'm going to need it."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_**December 22, 2011**_

Haley placed the stool in her hands on the floor in front of the linen closet. The first of their relatives were set to arrive tomorrow, and Haley hadn't stopped all morning. There were so many things she had to do to prepare. Time was quickly running out.

Haley positioned the stool accordingly before standing on it. She needed the plastic bin located at the top. It had the holiday-themed tablecloth and napkins she was planning to use for their dinner on Christmas Day. Haley stood on her tiptoes, trying to reach the top. Just as her fingertips touched the bin she felt a strong pair of hands on her waist.

"Hey, come on," Nathan said.

The next thing she knew, she was being lifted off of the stool and pushed to the side. "Oh, hey, I was getting that."

"You shouldn't be straining yourself. You can't risk falling and stuff," he stated while grabbing the bin down from the shelf.

Haley laughed. "Relax. I'm pregnant not elderly."

"Just as well, let me know next time. I'll get it for you." Nathan nearly had a heart attack when he saw Haley standing precariously on that tiny stool. And seeing as though she had a history of being clumsy in the past, he didn't think that was such a good idea. "Where do you want this?"

"Um, could you bring it downstairs in the dining room? Those are the tablecloths and napkins."

"Okay." Nathan made his way down the stairs with Haley following from behind.

"In the corner is good," she directed.

"Got it." He placed the bin down and turned back to look at her. "Is there anything else you need help with?"

"Actually, I'm glad you're up," Haley announced as she reached into her pocket. "I've got a list for you."

"A list of what?" he questioned, taking the paper from her hands.

"Of things I need you to do before tomorrow. The first of which being laundry. As much as I love having you home, honey, you do tend to make a mess." Nathan hadn't traveled much in the last week. He only had one game and that was at their home arena. As usual Nathan's clothes were always strewn across the floor in various rooms of their apartment. Her husband never was that neat. Haley could hardly tell what things were dirty or clean.

"Wow, Hales. Thanks for the love," Nathan joked as he continued to look over the tasks she assigned him. It was a long list.

Haley smiled sweetly. "I'll love you even more if you help me clean this place up."

"Why didn't we just hire a maid again?"

"Because the thought of someone touching my things and cleaning our apartment creeps me out," she said before giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"Right." Haley made her way back into the kitchen. "And what are you doing?" he asked, following her.

"I've already washed the floors, cleaned the kitchen, washed the bathrooms, and"—she checked her watch—"I will be baking the Christmas cookies right about now."

He smiled at her, impressed. "You did all of that today?"

"I did a little bit yesterday, but yeah," she answered.

"Okay, now I feel like a lazy ass." While she was cleaning, he was sleeping in or watching TV. If anything it should be the other way around—especially in her condition.

Haley brought her hand to his cheek. "I know that you've been really tired and sore from your schedule with practice and games lately."

"Yeah, but you shouldn't have to do this all by yourself, Hales."

"Which is why I just gave you your list," she pointed out.

"Have you been feeling okay today?" Haley had morning sickness practically every day and felt lousy because of it. He didn't want her overexerting herself.

"It really hasn't been too bad. I was just nauseous a little while ago, but it passed."

"Maybe we shouldn't have had everyone over this year."

Haley shook her head. "No, I want everyone to come." They usually went to Honey Grove or Tree Hill for the holidays. Nobody ever really came to visit them in Seattle that often. It was hard keeping in touch when their family and friends seemed to be spread all over the country.

"I just don't want this to be too much for you. A lot of people will be here."

"I know, but I'm sure our moms and my sister will help." They would all be getting in tomorrow. Everyone else would be arriving Christmas Eve day.

Nathan leaned down to kiss her lips tenderly. "Well, if it gets to be too much let me know. I'll pick up the slack."

"Thank you." Haley smiled and kissed him again.

"I'm going to go start that laundry. Is there anything else you need before I go?" he offered.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "But if you want to come check on me in a little while I'll let you taste test the cookies."

Nathan's stomach grumbled in anticipation. He loved everything Haley made. After a lifetime of eating takeout and microwavable dinners in his house growing up, he'd quickly become spoiled by his wife's talent in the kitchen. "Count on it."

* * *

"Okay, I just checked the time. Their flight should be landing in about five minutes."

Nathan bobbed his head in response and wrapped his arm around Haley's shoulders. Her parents' plane seemed as if it would arrive on time, which was good considering the weather. It was supposed to snow again today. "I hope the snow holds out," Nathan muttered.

"I know," Haley agreed. Her sister Vivian's family and Nathan's mom would be getting in later. Haley had offered for her and Nathan to pick them up at the airport, too, but both parties declined. Vivian wanted to rent a car and get her family settled in their hotel first. The same went for Deb and her boyfriend. They would all arrive at the apartment when everything was taken care of.

"Excuse me?"

Nathan turned to his head to the left and noticed a middle-aged woman standing off to the side. Behind her was a little boy peeking around her leg. "Yes?" Nathan replied.

"Would it be possible to get an autograph?" the woman asked. "You're my son's favorite player."

Nathan looked over at Haley briefly and saw that she was smiling. His attention returned to the woman. "Sure." She handed him a basketball card with Nathan's picture on it.

"I'm sorry. I don't have a pen," the woman spoke up.

"Oh, I do." Haley reached into her purse and pulled one out. She handed it to Nathan.

He couldn't help but smirk. His wife wasn't called Tutor Girl by their friends for nothing. "Thanks." Nathan glanced down at the small boy. "What's your name?"

"It's John," the mother said. "He's a little shy."

Nathan signed the card and bent down to hand it to the boy. "Here you go."

John stared at him for a moment before smiling. He took the card and squeaked out a small "thank you."

"Thanks again," the mother called as they left.

"He was so cute."

"Well, we'll be having one soon enough," Nathan reminded her.

Haley felt his hands on her waist and grinned when he discretely rubbed his thumbs over her stomach. She wrapped her arms around his neck before closing the distance between them. The kiss was quick, but Haley could feel the underlying intensity it possessed.

"Would you look at them, Jimmy. They're still like a pair of horny teenagers."

"Good for them. Too many people are getting divorced these days. Besides, it's not like we're not just as bad."

"Yeah, that's true. They probably learned it from us."

Haley glanced toward the voices and saw her parents standing in front of them. She hadn't noticed that their plane had landed. A beaming smile immediately graced Haley's face. "Hey, guys," she greeted and hugged them. "I missed you."

"Oh, we missed you, too, Haley Bop," Lydia replied and squeezed her tight.

"Nate, how are ya?" Jimmy asked as they shook hands and clapped each other on the back.

"Good. You?"

"I'm great thanks to you helping the Sonics win that last game. I had money riding on it," Jimmy informed him.

Nathan chuckled. "I'm glad that I could help."

Lydia rolled her eyes. "He and your brothers never stop."

"How is everyone?" Haley questioned. "They're not mad about Christmas this year, are they?" She felt bad that she couldn't have her entire family over for the holidays, but she and Nathan just didn't have the room.

"They don't mind," Lydia replied. "Everyone's going over to Quinn's."

"And she's fine with that?"

"Well, Quinn is…well…she's Quinn," her mother stated. Haley knew what that meant. She was sure that of all her siblings Quinn would take the non-invitation personally. But then again, her sister had always been a bit competitive and temperamental.

"Great," Haley sighed.

"She'll get over it."

"So, did you guys want to get your luggage?" Nathan suggested.

Jimmy nodded. "Sure, let's go."

"We'll leave it up to you strong men," Lydia said. "Haley and I will be sitting by the benches."

"You're the boss."

Lydia laughed. "Damn straight I am."

It took about ten minutes for Nathan and Jimmy to collect all of the luggage. Once they had everything, they headed out to Nathan's SUV and went back to the apartment. Jimmy and Nathan unloaded the bags while Haley led her mother straight inside.

"Ooh, Haley Bop, is that new?" Lydia asked, pointing to a mirror hanging in the hallway. "I don't remember that being there the last time I was here."

"Yes, it's new. You like it?"

"It's beautiful."

"Thanks."

"And look who it is!" Lydia exclaimed as Duke approached. She began to pet and play with him. "It's the most handsome boy alive."

Haley laughed. Her mother absolutely loved Duke. She brought him some treats the last time she visited, which automatically made him a fan of her.

"I see how it is," Jimmy joked as he and Nathan entered with the luggage.

"At least he looks happy to see me," Lydia declared while pulling out a few treats.

"Well, if you fed me something all the time I'd be happy to see you, too."

"Easy on the snacks this time, Mom. I don't want Duke getting fat," Haley warned.

"Haley Bop, it's the holidays. Everyone is allowed to indulge," she pointed out.

Haley, Nathan, and Jimmy shared a look and shook their heads in amusement.

"While you're doing that, I'll get settled in," Jimmy announced. "Lead the way, Nate."

Haley walked into the kitchen. "Mom, did you want some coffee or something?"

Lydia followed and took a seat at the island. "Coffee would be great. Thanks. The weather is freezing up here. I don't know how you do it."

"You get used to it—kind of."

"I heard it's supposed to snow."

"I'm hoping it holds off until everyone else's flights get in."

"And when's that?"

"Well, Vivian's supposed to land around one o'clock. And I think Deb and Andy's flight lands at two fifteen."

"Who's Andy again?" Lydia asked. "His name sounds familiar."

"I told you about him. He's Deb's boyfriend. He's got that accent; he's originally from New Zealand. They've been dating for several months now."

"Oh, I remember. The young one. What's that called nowadays? It's some type of cat or something."

"It's a cougar, and please do not say that in front of them," Haley pleaded. Andy was about fifteen years younger than Deb. They'd all been utterly shocked when they found out—especially Nathan. The guy was only three years older than him. But Andy turned out to be a really good person and made Deb happy, so no one could complain.

"Don't worry. My lips are sealed."

"That'll be the day," Jimmy teased as he and Nathan came back downstairs.

"You guys want some coffee?" Haley offered. Both men nodded.

"You're not having any, Haley Bop?" Jimmy questioned when he noticed that she hadn't poured herself a cup.

"I'm actually in the mood for some hot chocolate."

"I'll get it. Why don't you sit down?" Nathan suggested. Haley had been on her feet most of the day. He wanted her to relax for awhile.

"Aw, you two are still so adorable," Lydia commented. "When are you going to give me an equally adorable grandchild?"

Nathan and Haley shared a quick, discrete look before she laughed lightly. "Mom, you say that every time we see you."

"Well, you are getting older, Haley Bop. The clock is ticking."

"I'm only twenty three," Haley guffawed.

"Soon to be twenty four."

"She just wants another baby in the family," Jimmy spoke up. "We visited Vivian in Florida last month. Deidra looked like she grew a lot since the last time we saw her."

"She's only three, though," Haley pointed out.

"It doesn't matter. They grow up so fast," Lydia sighed.

"That's for sure," Jimmy agreed.

Nathan gave Haley her hot chocolate and took a seat next to her. The four continued to catch up and talk about any news they'd heard. It turned out that Haley's parents' RV had broken down, so they'd been living back in Honey Grove for awhile instead of traveling the country like they usually did.

"It's not like we're missing anything. I mean, how many times can you really see a sandwich shaped like Elvis before getting tired of it?" Jimmy explained.

"Hey, I love the Elvis sandwich," Lydia proclaimed. "I could see it again."

Jimmy smiled. "It is pretty cool, though; I have to admit. But what about the two of you? What's going on for you kids?"

"Everything's been great," Haley answered. "School's been going well. Although we got a new principal who's kind of a…well, she's a…"

"Bitch," Lydia filled in.

"Yeah." Haley flushed slightly. "But other than that it's been okay. I've had this week off, so I've been enjoying the time to myself."

"That's great, honey." Jimmy turned to Nathan. "What about you, Mr. Basketball Superstar?

Nathan chuckled. "I don't know about the superstar part, but the team's been doing awesome this season."

"So have you. We've read so many stories about you and seen pictures," Lydia said. "We actually cut out all of the ones we saw and made a scrapbook."

"Really?" Haley questioned, grinning. She thought it was a good idea.

"Yeah. We figured it'd be a nice thing to have and look back on when you're older. Trust me," Jimmy replied. "Not to mention how much fun it is to brag to people that our son-in-law is a big NBA star."

"That is a good time."

"Mom," Haley scolded good-naturedly.

"By the way, Nate, I heard that your contract with the Sonics is up after this season," Jimmy added.

"Yeah." Nathan had signed with the team for three years. He wasn't sure how he would like the team or the move to Seattle. Nathan thought it would be best for both him and Haley to try it out first for a few years and see how they liked it. Luckily things seemed to have turned out better than expected.

"Will you be re-signing with them? They do want to re-sign you, right?"

"I'd like to. And they've mentioned about giving me a longer contract next time. But offers aren't really made until the end of the season, so…"

"That makes sense," Lydia commented.

Haley inwardly cringed at the mention of contracts and re-signing. She was so proud of Nathan for what he'd achieved. And she liked Seattle, her new friends, and her job. But every once in a while Haley got the feeling that something was kind of missing. Every time it popped up she tried to push it back. However, as Nathan's season continued on, the feeling seemed to grow even stronger. She'd never told Nathan, of course, but it was still always there.

Haley was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on the door. "I'll get it," she declared and got up.

"Haley Bop!" Vivian exclaimed before pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Hi, Viv!"

"I missed you."

"I know. It's so great to see you." They talked on the phone often but hadn't actually been in the same place as each other since last Christmas. Haley let go of her sister and hugged her brother-in-law. "Hey, Bill."

"Hi, Haley," he greeted back.

"What about me, Auntie Haywee?" a tiny voice spoke up.

Haley glanced down and spotted her niece. The three-year-old looked even tinier standing next to her tall father. "As if I could forget about my favorite niece and goddaughter!" Haley proclaimed as Deidra came running to her. She held the little brunette tightly in her arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Your hair is different," she noticed.

"What do you think? Do you like it?"

She nodded eagerly and then turned toward her mother. "Mommy, I want short hair like Auntie Haywee!"

"We'll see," Vivian replied with an amused roll of her eyes.

"Uncle Nathan!" Deidra exclaimed and reached for him as he approached.

Nathan smiled as Haley passed her to him. "Hey, Squirt. Vivian, Bill," he greeted. Lydia and Jimmy were right behind him. More greetings and hugs were exchanged before Haley ushered their new guests into the living room.

"We were having some coffee before you came. You want any?" Haley offered.

"Sure," Bill replied. "I could use something hot."

"Me, too," Vivian said. "The cold goes right through to your bones."

"Welcome to winter in Seattle," Haley joked as she walked into the kitchen and got some more cups. "Viv, does Dee want a hot chocolate?"

"Sure. Just don't make it too hot."

Haley nodded. "Of course." As she made some more coffee and hot chocolate, everyone talked and got caught up.

"You need any help?" Vivian offered a few minutes later. Haley smiled; her sister was one of the kindest and most considerate people she knew. Even though Vivian was most likely exhausted from all the traveling she'd done that day, she still was willing to lend a hand.

"Actually, I'm okay. If you just want to give these to Bill and Dee, that'd be fine," Haley said while passing her the steaming hot mugs. "Oh, and make sure Dee's careful. I put a couple of ice cubes in the hot chocolate to cool it down."

"Got it."

Afterward Haley refilled her parents' cups along with hers and Nathan's. She returned to her previous seat just as the doorbell rang again.

"I'll get it," Nathan announced quickly when he noticed Haley about to stand up. He went to answer the door and smiled when he noticed his mom and Andy on the other side.

"Nathan," Deb beamed.

"Hi, Mom," he greeted as she kissed his cheek and hugged him.

"You look great, honey."

"You do, too." Nathan shifted his gaze to Andy. "Hi, Andy."

"Hey, Nathan. It's nice to see you again," he replied as they shook hands.

It wasn't long before Haley joined them. She and Deb embraced, which caused Nathan to grin. His wife and mother's relationship had been so rocky in the beginning—mostly because of his mother's misconception that his marrying Haley was a mistake. But ever since his mom had gone to rehab after her horrible breakdown four years ago, she'd managed to turn her whole life around. She'd realized how good Haley was for him, and Deb had turned into a much stronger person than she used to be. Haley and his mom were a lot closer now because of it.

"Let me take your coats," Nathan offered. Judging by the white flakes on them, he assumed the snow had just started.

Haley, meanwhile, led them toward the living room. Greetings were once again exchanged. Haley was just about to get her mother-in-law and Andy something to drink when Nathan's hand on her arm halted her.

"You sit down and relax," he stated softly in her ear. "I'll do it." It didn't take much for Haley to wear herself out these days. For now he just wanted her to enjoy being with their family instead of worrying about serving everyone.

Haley smiled thankfully and took her previous seat. The sounds in the apartment were the loudest they had ever been as she watched and listened to her family members conversing happily amongst one another. Haley felt a warm feeling envelop her in that moment. It was then that she realized just how much she'd actually missed this. Having everyone here felt right—like a part of her had been restored. And when she realized that the rest of the people she loved and cared about would be arriving tomorrow, Haley couldn't help but feel her excitement build.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Haley bit her bottom lip. She could feel her teeth leaving an imprint, but at this point she didn't care. It was the only thing keeping her from shouting her husband's name right now. It was just after four in the morning, and the entangled pair was quickly becoming lost in their own private world.

"Hales," Nathan murmured against her skin, urging her on. He was sitting upright on the bed with Haley straddling him. Their hot, sweaty bodies were pressed as tightly together as possible. The hand that was in her hair slid down to her lower back. Nathan heard Haley gasp when he guided her movements and met her down-stroke with a strong, upward thrust of his own.

"We really shouldn't be doing this," she whispered breathlessly and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

His hold on her tightened. "Why not?" he questioned while nipping at her shoulder.

"Because…" she whimpered as the salacious sensations began to heighten within her.

Nathan's mouth sucked on the tender skin of her neck. "Because why?"

"Someone might hear."

By "someone" Nathan knew she meant her parents. He and Haley were used to having the apartment to themselves. Therefore, volume was hardly ever an issue when they made love. But with Lydia and Jimmy down the hall in the guest room, Nathan knew Haley was desperately trying to keep quiet.

"What, do you want to stop?" he asked, smirking.

Haley pulled back a bit and stared into his eyes. They were dark and filled with a primal hunger that drew her in. She loved when he looked at her like that. It made her feel so beautiful and desired at the same time. Before she'd practically pounced on him and ultimately woke him up, Haley had been lying awake in bed just watching him. Nathan looked so handsome and peaceful as he slept. She'd eyed the muscled contours of his shoulders, chest, and stomach and found herself thankful that he'd neglected to put a shirt on last night. His body was male perfection and, luckily, all hers. It wasn't long before she felt the need and yearning start to bubble within her. She just had to have him.

Nathan had been confused at first by her kisses but quickly became receptive when he realized what she wanted. Now, as he clutched her tightly and proceeded to touch her in the most intimate of ways, the idea of stopping seemed ludicrous and utterly impossible—whether they were heard or not. Haley couldn't get enough of him and found herself shaking her head in dismissal of his question.

Her movements started to quicken as she rode him faster, seeking the explosive release she was striving for. His lips caressed her jaw before she directed them toward her own. Their mouths and tongues tangled and clashed in a deeply passionate kiss.

Eventually Nathan couldn't take it anymore. Haley's fingernails were digging into his flesh. And while it only increased his arousal, he could tell she still wasn't quite getting what she needed. He was so close to losing it and wanted his wife to be just as satisfied. He then took control and swiftly brought her down beneath him and onto the mattress. She moaned into his mouth and wrapped her legs more snugly around his waist, allowing him to go deeper.

He brought his hand to her face to keep it steady as he attacked her lips. He licked her bottom lip before sucking on the top, causing her gasps and whimpers to catch in her throat. Meanwhile, his other hand traveled between them. He kneaded and massaged each of her breasts. Nathan felt her hot breath in his ear as she whispered for more. Haley placed her hand on top of his and guided it along her stomach and farther down between them.

"Is that what you want, baby?" he murmured huskily while stroking her. "Huh?"

Haley nodded and closed her eyes in ecstasy. "Yes…yes…right there," she told him. She could feel her muscles tightening as he continued to touch and pound relentlessly into her. It wasn't long before they both finally let go and rode the waves of their pleasure together.

Nathan collapsed next to Haley, breathless. He felt her cuddle up next to him and wrapped an arm around her. He kissed the top of her head as she sighed.

"I'm sorry for waking you up," she mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

Nathan smiled at her almost childlike voice. "There's nothing to be sorry about, Hales. You can jump me anytime you want."

Haley rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"If I remember correctly, I think I've woken you up a time or two."

"I'd say somewhere around twenty times," she replied teasingly. Haley's cheeks reddened at the memories of waking up in the middle of the night to the feel of her husband's seductive kisses and caresses.

Nathan smirked. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"But I know that you've been tired lately. And seeing as though we've got a big day—well, it's actually a week—ahead of us we need all of the rest we can get."

"You definitely more than me," he pointed out as one of his hands went to her stomach. "Why were you awake?"

"I don't know. I guess I was just thinking about everything that I have to do today and tomorrow." The last of their family and friends would be arriving today. Thankfully she wouldn't have to cook a big meal for everyone until Christmas Day tomorrow. But that didn't mean she didn't have to prepare ahead of time for it.

"You worry too much."

"When haven't I worried?" she pointed out.

"True. But you've got this, Hales."

"It's just that it's my first Christmas where I'm the hostess. It's always been my mom, Karen, or your mom who's done this for everyone. I keep having nightmares about burning the pork tenderloin or not mashing the potatoes the right way."

Nathan couldn't help but laugh.

"Nathan, I'm serious!"

"Honestly, I'm not worried at all. You've always been a great cook. And it's not like you're alone. Our moms and Vivian offered to help you with everything. And I'm sure Karen will, too, once she gets here."

"But it's not only that. I'm pregnant, and I get so nauseous all of the time. My mom asked if we were having fish, too, and I seriously almost ran to the bathroom and lost it at the mere mention of it."

"Since when does fish bother you?" he asked.

"Since I went to the market last week and got sick to my stomach at the smell of it."

"No fish. Got it," he declared.

"I'm doomed," she pouted and buried her face in his chest.

Nathan felt a few tear drops land on his chest. He'd read about the havoc hormones can wreak on women in one of the pregnancy books Haley had bought. She had a whole stack of them on her nightstand. That was the only reason he could see her crying right now about such a trivial thing.

"You are not doomed," Nathan reassured her. He gently ran his hand through her hair and continued, "You are going to do a great job, Hales. Everyone will love whatever you make. And as for the nausea, I'll make sure that we have an endless supply of saltine crackers and ginger ale at your disposal." That usually helped settle her stomach. "How does that sound?"

"Good," she sniffled.

"Good. See, everything will be fine."

Haley nodded against his chest before leaving a few soft kisses on his flesh. As she moved up to his neck, she could feel her mood changing. Suddenly, the only thing that held her interest right now was her husband's strong, hard body touching hers. "You always know how to make me feel better," she mumbled against his cheek.

Nathan wiped away the remaining moisture from her face. "Of course I do. I love you," he replied.

Haley captured his mouth in hers and traced her tongue over the outline of his lips. His mouth immediately parted for her. "I guess we should go back to sleep now," she murmured without breaking contact.

Nathan's breathing quickened as his body heated up. Even as the words left her mouth Haley was already on top of him, straddling him, once again. Her small hands went from caressing his face and hair down to his chest. Nathan's body instantly reacted, and he wanted her all over again. His arms wrapped around her back and pulled her flush against him. "Sleep is overrated."

* * *

"I'll get it!" Haley yelled as she headed toward the front door. The doorbell rang, and she doubted that anyone had heard it. There were so many people talking at the same time. Peyton and Jake along with Keith, Karen, and Lily had arrived early that morning. All of the guys were currently sitting in the living room, drinking beer and watching whatever basketball or football game was on. Lily and Deidra, meanwhile, sat on the floor playing with their dolls and coloring. Every so often Nathan would come into the kitchen and check on Haley as she, Vivian, Lydia, Karen, Deb, and Peyton prepared the Christmas dinner. It was basically a preview of how things would be tomorrow afternoon.

"Tutor Girl!" Brooke shouted with her arms wide open.

"Tigger!" Haley exclaimed as she hugged the bubbly brunette tightly. "Oh, it's so good to see you."

"It's been too damn long," Brooke replied. They talked on the phone a lot, but nothing was as good as seeing each other face-to-face. "And I love your hair! It's so adorable!"

"Thanks. Yours, too." Brooke's hair was much shorter than the last time Haley had seen it. It was straight, layered, and just about reached Brooke's chin.

"What about me?" a male voice spoke up.

Haley smiled and went to hug her other best friend/brother-in-law. "Hey, Luke," she greeted.

"You're here for two seconds and already your hands are on my wife," Nathan joked as he approached the newcomers.

Lucas laughed. "I can't help it if she loves me more."

"Get over here, Boy Toy," Brooke demanded.

"You know I hate that nickname, Brooke."

"Thus the basis of its appeal," she retorted with a beaming smile.

Nathan just rolled his eyes as he hugged his old friend and brother. "Let me take your coats," he offered when they pulled apart.

"So, is everyone else here?" Brooke questioned.

"Yup. You're it," Haley confirmed.

"I'm sorry about that," Lucas apologized. "We wanted to come earlier, but my basketball schedule was pretty set."

"Don't worry about it," Nathan assured him. He could certainly relate to that.

"Well, the best is always saved for last," Brooke said as she fixed her dress and ran a hand through her hair. "Let's go!" Lucas, Nathan, and Haley all laughed at her enthusiasm.

"I heard that," Peyton joked as they reached the end of the hallway. Chaos seemed to erupt once more as everyone came to greet Brooke and Lucas. Haley smiled at seeing everyone so happy and together. As stressful as the cooking and preparations for dinner might be, she knew it was totally worth it.

Everyone stood around and talked for a few more minutes before returning to their previous activities. "I love how they all automatically gravitate toward the TV," Brooke said as she motioned to the guys.

"Isn't it always the way?" Lydia joked.

"So, what are you ladies up to?"

"We're helping Haley get ready for dinner tomorrow," Karen explained.

Brooke gulped. "Oh."

Haley smiled knowingly. Brooke was talented at almost everything—except cooking. "You can help Peyton wash the good dishes and set the dining room table if you want."

"Ever since I burned a loaf of bread this morning they haven't let me near any of the food," Peyton spoke up. The curly blonde wasn't that skilled in the kitchen, either.

"Bread is so easy to make," Vivian stated.

"Well, most normal people buy it. Not make it homemade."

"Which is why we're so awesome."

"All I know is I'm going to need a drink," Brooke announced.

"We already opened a bottle. It's over here," Lydia instructed and nodded toward the counter.

"Don't you guys think it's a bit early to be drinking?" Haley questioned. It was only one o'clock.

Peyton snorted. "I'm sure it's late somewhere."

"Amen to that," Brooke said as she took a big sip from her glass. "Tutor Wife, you want some?"

Haley shook her head. "No thanks."

"Still not that into drinking, huh?"

"Not really," she replied, going along with it. Aside from Vivian and her mother, Brooke was one of the most perceptive people Haley knew. She'd been very careful most of the day to appear normal. Just the mere mention of being nauseous, having a queasy stomach, or not being able to drink would probably instantly clue them in to her condition. And seeing as though Haley was a terrible liar, it wouldn't take long before they got the truth out of her.

"It's nice to know some things never change."

"I'll drink to that," Peyton said as she held up her own glass.

"Lushes," Haley kidded.

Brooke shrugged, unfazed. "It's what the media thinks I do anyway." She'd finally managed to create her own company and clothing line. It was called Clothes Over Bro's. Brooke had started it during their senior year of college.

For the first couple of years it struggled to get on its feet. But once Lucas started playing well for the Knicks and Brooke showed up at his games looking fabulous, the media and many others took notice. Now it seemed like everyone wanted to be wearing Brooke Davis designs.

"Ugh, I hate the paparazzi," Haley groaned. She loathed it when they followed her or Nathan around. It wasn't a constant thing, since Nathan wasn't like one of those crazy celebrities always getting drunk and into trouble every night. But it could still be annoying when it did happen.

"Me, too. I've seen what they can do to celebrities at the record label. It's brutal," Peyton added.

Brooke walked over to the sink and began to dry the dishes Peyton had washed. "How's that going?"

Peyton worked for Sire Records in Los Angeles, California. She'd been there for the past two and a half years. She was only an assistant to the Vice President's assistant, but Peyton was hoping that would change soon.

"It's better."

"Meaning?" Haley prodded.

"Well, I get to do more filing rather than coffee runs."

"That's…an improvement," Brooke muttered, clearly trying to stay positive.

Peyton laughed humorlessly and rolled her eyes. "Not really. It still sucks."

"If it makes you feel better, you kids still live much more glamorous lives than we do," Lydia spoke up. "I always wanted to be on Broadway."

Vivian giggled. "Mom, you can't sing."

"Yes, I can. Where do you think Haley got her voice from?"

"Dad."

Haley bit back a smile. Her mother really was tone deaf. But her father was actually pretty good at singing—when he wasn't acting like a goofball. He'd also been the one to teach her the piano and guitar.

Lydia muttered something unintelligible under her breath in response.

"Dee!" Vivian suddenly shouted, causing them all to jump. The guys even turned to look at her. "Don't you dare put that crayon in your mouth!"

"Daddy said it was like green apple," she replied.

Vivian shot a look at Bill. "Did you tell her that?"

"No. Well, I mean, I told her the color was green apple. I didn't tell her it tasted like that," he quickly explained, slightly stuttering. Haley noticed the others guys snicker at the trouble he was apparently in.

"It doesn't taste like that," Lily added. "I already tried it."

"What?" Karen exclaimed. She glanced at Keith, who was suddenly very interested in the carpet. "Keith, you're supposed to be watching her."

"I am."

"Obviously not since she managed to eat a crayon in front of you," Karen scolded with her hands on her hips.

"I only took one bite," Lily announced, which didn't really help matters.

"Keep a better eye on them or else," Vivian threatened with the large salad knife still in her hand. Bill and Keith nodded quickly as the rest of the guys returned to watching the game.

Karen sighed. "You have to watch them every minute."

"The guys or the kids?" Brooke questioned, confused.

"Both," Vivian and Karen answered in perfect unison. That time, Haley couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

"Go, go, go!" the guys all shouted together.

"Damn! How could he have missed that shot!" Andy exclaimed.

Lucas shook his head in disapproval. "The guy has no left."

Jimmy snorted. "Even I could've made that shot."

"That's what happens when you get too cocky on the court," Nathan stated.

"No kidding," Lucas agreed. "So, Nate, how are things going on the team?"

"Really good. You?"

"Yeah, everything is going great. We've had a couple of tough games, but we made it."

Nathan nodded. "I hear ya."

"So, Nathan, what game of yours are we all going to?" Bill asked.

"I've got two games this week. Wednesday I'm playing the Portland Trail Blazers. The one on Saturday that you'll see is against the Miami Heat," he explained. Next Saturday would be New Year's Eve. Instead of going to some lame party this year, Nathan, along with Haley, had thought it'd be nice if everyone came to his game. It would be at the KeyArena—the Sonics's home stadium. Afterward, they'd all go out to eat and just be together until midnight.

"Are you going to Portland, or are they coming here?" Keith questioned.

"They're coming here."

"The game against Miami should be interesting," Lucas commented.

Andy frowned. "Why's that?"

"Well—" Nathan began just as one of the Miami Heat players appeared on the TV. The reporter was getting a quick interview.

"_So, Jerome, your team has been working hard all season. Do you think you'll be ready to face the Sonics—who've had only two losses this season—as well as their leading player, Nathan Scott, and be able to come out on top?"_

Jerome's eyes narrowed. "_We're not afraid of Nathan Scott." _He glared into the camera. "_Man, that chump's always been more hype than skill!" _

"Oh, I see," Andy murmured.

"Wow, that's a lot of hostility," Jake spoke up.

"That's because Jerome Garrett's a bitter guy."

"Why? What happened?" Keith asked.

"He was one basket away from taking his team to the playoffs last year, and I got in the way."

Lucas sipped his beer. "I remember that. He looked pissed."

"Be careful, then," Keith advised. "He's probably looking to get even."

Nathan nodded. "I'm sure he is. But I can handle it."

"Handle what?" Haley questioned as she approached.

"Just a game I have coming up."

"Oh, well, seeing as though you're not doing anything now, do you think that you could take Duke for his walk?" she requested.

"Sure," Nathan said, standing up.

"Thanks." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back toward the kitchen.

"You want some company?" Lucas offered.

"Sure. If you don't mind being outside in the freezing cold," he joked.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "I'll be fine."

"Duke," Nathan called as he grabbed his leash off of the table. The chocolate lab came running.

"So, how do you like having a dog?" Lucas inquired as they made their way outside.

Nathan patted the dog's head. "Well, Duke's great. We got lucky. And he's company for Haley while I'm away."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking about. Brooke hates it when I'm gone."

"It's the same for Haley."

"I just worry that if I do get her a dog or something, she'll forget to feed it or take it outside," Lucas said. "I mean, her company's really starting to take off now. She's been so busy."

"I'm sure that if you get her a pet she'll like then it won't be a problem. Duke is practically Haley's other baby."

"What's the first one?"

"Huh?"

"You said other baby. Is there another one?" Lucas questioned with a quirked eyebrow.

Nathan inwardly cursed his slip of words. He quickly recovered, though, and smirked. "The first one is me."

"I should've seen that one coming," Lucas muttered with a shake of his head.

Nathan chuckled and stopped walking as Duke started to do his business.

"Hey, Nate, I just wanted to thank you for having us all over this year."

"It's no problem. Haley and I wanted everyone to come here for a change."

"Well, we're all glad you did. Brooke's been so excited."

"I noticed. But then again, when doesn't she bounce around?"

Lucas laughed. "I know. She can't wait for tomorrow, though."

"I know. Judging by the smells coming from the kitchen, I'm sure the food is going to be amazing."

"Yeah, that's part of it."

"What else is there?"

"Well, we sort of have an announcement to make. You don't mind if we do that sometime after dinner, right? I mean, you and Haley are the hosts and we don't want to—"

"Luke, it's fine," Nathan cut in. "Haley and I actually have an announcement of our own."

Lucas stared in interest. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Any chance you could let your big brother in on it now?"

"What about you?" Nathan countered. "What's your news?"

"I can't. Brooke would kill me."

"Haley would kill me."

Lucas smiled. "I guess we'll both just have to wait until tomorrow."

Nathan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I guess."


	6. Chapter 5

**Thank you all so much for the reviews last chapter. Your comments always manage to brighten my day. I hope you'll like this next chapter. I know there isn't any major drama going on right now, but these beginning chapters really focus on Naley and them reconnecting with their family and friends. I guess you can call it the calm before the storm. Anyway, enjoy and please review!**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_**December 25, 2011**_

"Crap. Where is it? I just had it in my hand!"

"What are you looking for, Tutor Wife?"

Haley sighed as she ran an agitated hand through her hair. "I need that bread knife."

Brooke looked around the kitchen counter. "I don't see it."

"Neither do I, Tigger. That's the problem."

"Well, when was the last time you had it?"

"If I knew that then I'd know where it is," Haley muttered in frustration. She'd been running around nonstop all day trying to make everything perfect for their big Christmas dinner. Most of the food was done by now and ready to be served. The only thing left to do was cut the large loaf of bread she'd made.

"Haley, the dining room table is all set," Peyton announced as she entered the kitchen.

"Have you seen my knife?"

"Um…"—she looked to the left and then to the right—"no."

"I'm telling you, Tutor Wife, you have to retrace your steps," Brooke repeated.

"Retrace your steps for what?" Vivian questioned as she finished up the salad.

"I can't find that damn knife to cut the bread," Haley replied.

There was so much going on around her that she could barely hear herself think. The guys were sitting in the living room watching sports like yesterday. Every once in a while during a commercial one of them would get up and offer to lend a hand. They would grab a few dishes or plates high up in the cupboards that the women couldn't reach. Lily and Deidra, meanwhile, were playing with Duke.

"Honey, I've got it. I told you I would handle the bread, remember?" Lydia spoke up.

Haley paused for a moment. "Oh. Right." She took a deep breath before exhaling.

"You're doing great," Karen encouraged. "Everything is done and looks delicious."

Haley gave her a thankful smile. "I guess it'd be okay to serve it now."

"I'll round up the boys to do it," Brooke proclaimed. "It's about time they did something productive today." The brunette proceeded to march into the living room.

"Hey!" the guys all exclaimed when she shut the TV off.

"It's time to eat. And we could use some help bringing the food into the dining room," she told them. Haley and the others couldn't help but laugh at how quickly the guys got up when the food was mentioned.

"I'm starved," Keith declared.

"Me, too. Something smells good," Lucas added.

"Just take a plate, Broody," Brooke ordered.

Haley checked on dessert as everyone started to head into the dining room. "Oh!" she exclaimed when she accidentally bumped into Nathan. "You scared me. I didn't know you were there."

"Sorry," he said while wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her forehead.

"Baby, as much as I'd love to be with you right now, we kind of have dinner and guests waiting for us," Haley reminded him.

Nathan smiled. "I know. But things have been so crazy that I haven't gotten a chance to tell you how beautiful you look." Haley was wearing a sleeveless dress that fell just below her knees. The bodice was made of brown satin while the rest of the dress featured black cotton material. It did an amazing job of accentuating her cleavage as well as her sexy legs. Nathan hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her most of the day.

Haley felt her face start to blush. "Thank you." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his lips.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" he questioned in a quiet voice. She'd felt sick earlier that morning and had discretely run to the bathroom a few times.

"I'm fine now. I think it passed," she whispered back.

"Just take it easy with the food," he advised.

Haley nodded. "I will." Even though she felt really hungry now, she knew she'd probably feel a bit queasy later on.

"I already got you a glass of ginger ale at the table just in case."

Haley couldn't help but smile. "Do you ever stop thinking of me?" she teased.

"Never." He smirked.

"Good," she mumbled before kissing him again.

"As much as I hate to interrupt this little game of naughty or nice you two most likely have going on here," Brooke interjected as she walked into the kitchen, "everybody's waiting for you guys."

"We're coming," Nathan said. He picked up the last dish and followed the pair into the dining room. Everyone was already in their designated seats at the long table. Nathan placed the food down and took a seat at the head of the table with Haley at the opposite end. To his left were Lucas, Brooke, Keith, Lily, Karen, Peyton, and Lydia. To his right were Deb, Andy, Bill, Vivian, Deidra, Jake, and Jimmy.

"This all looks so good," Jake complimented.

"Haley, did you want any wine?" Lucas asked as he filled up Brooke's glass.

"Um, not right now. Maybe later," she replied. Looking around, it appeared that she was the only person besides the kids not drinking. Haley hoped she could last a bit longer without anyone noticing just how many times she'd denied having any alcohol. Drinking was pretty much a given during the holidays.

A moment later Jimmy stood up and cleared his throat. "Before we start, I would just like to make a toast." He held up his wine glass, and the others followed suit. "To Nathan and Haley for inviting us all to Seattle this year to celebrate the holidays together. And especially to Haley for cooking this wonderful dinner that we're about to have. I don't know about the rest of you, but my mouth's been watering to eat this delicious food since I first smelled it yesterday."

"Well, I wasn't the only one who cooked," Haley stated, blushing.

"Don't be modest, sweetheart," Lydia spoke up. "We just helped. You put all of this together."

"Yeah, Haley Bop. This menu was all you," Vivian added.

Haley smiled shyly. "Thanks."

"To Nathan and Haley," Jimmy repeated. The rest of the family joined in and clinked glasses. Haley then proceeded to say grace. Afterward, everyone dug in. It wasn't long before chatter filled the room as they ate.

"So, Karen, how's the café doing?" Jimmy questioned.

"It's really great. We're actually expanding. We just bought this club called Tric."

"Hey, we used to go there all the time in college," Peyton said.

"Oh, I loved that place," Brooke agreed.

Haley nodded. "Me, too."

"You should see what she and Deb have done to the place," Lucas told them. "They completely transformed it."

"It did need some work the last time we were there," Brooke acknowledged. "Next time I'm back in North Carolina I'll have to go see it."

"Not by yourself, of course," Lucas cut in.

Brooke frowned. "Why not?"

He scoffed. "Please, have you forgotten how many times you've gotten hit on by sleazy guys in that club?"

"I'm sure it's better now."

"I highly doubt that. Nate, Jake, you know what I'm talking about."

"Those guys were insane," Jake replied.

Nathan remembered all too well. One time some creep had actually had the nerve to touch Haley's ass. Nathan had almost slammed the guy's head into the bar he was so pissed. "I wouldn't let Haley go alone either."

"'Let me go.' I didn't know I had to ask for permission," Haley joked.

"You do. I just never told you," he replied back with a smirk.

Haley rolled her eyes. "That's what you think," she retorted, causing the other women to snicker in amusement.

"Well, then Haley and I will just have to go together. Right, Tutor Girl?" Brooke declared.

"Right, Tigger."

"I'm there," Peyton joined in.

"Me, too," Vivian added.

"We don't even live in North Carolina," Bill pointed out.

"Well, we might visit someday. And if we do, I want to be in on the fun. You don't own me," she teased.

"Since when did Christmas dinner turn into a discussion about girl power?" Keith kidded.

"I don't know, but I'm blaming Broody," Brooke responded with a cheeky smile.

Lucas just rolled his eyes playfully and took a big drink of his wine.

"Easy on the booze, Luke. I made my dad's world-famous, liquored-up eggnog for later," Haley told him.

Jimmy laughed. "Oh yeah, that's the stuff."

"I'll have to try it," Keith stated.

"It's good. But don't drink too much too fast or you'll be knocked on your ass before you know it. My son Chris had one too many glasses last year and actually fell into the Christmas tree."

"Jimmy! We have little ears present," Lydia scolded.

"Sorry, kids. Don't say ass," he told them. "Or drink."

"Jimmy!"

"What?"

"Stop saying ass!"

"I only said it once. You just said it again."

"I said it to tell you to stop saying it."

"I'm not saying it. I'm done saying it."

_Here we go again_, Haley thought.

Nathan grinned from the other end of the table. Haley's parents were always getting into little arguments, but they were usually more entertaining than annoying.

"So, Nathan, I heard about your big new endorsement deal," Bill interrupted, changing the subject.

"Nathan, honey, are you doing those commercials for Gatorade again?" Deb inquired.

Nathan swallowed the bite he'd taken before replying. "No. Well, I mean, I'm still doing those but this is something different."

"It's really cool," Haley cut in.

"What is it?" Andy questioned curiously. Everyone else seemed to be interested, as well.

"Nike is going to create my own special line of shoes to be sold in stores," Nathan explained. "They're calling it NS-12."

"Wow, Nathan, that sounds awesome," Bill complimented. "When are they coming out?"

"Not right away. There are still a few prototypes I have to choose from."

"I like the blue ones the best," Haley mentioned.

"What other colors are there?" Deb asked.

Nathan took a sip of wine. "They're all mostly black but feature patches of green, grey, yellow, or red," he listed. "I like the green, though. It's the color of my team."

"But they kind of look like elf shoes," Haley commented.

"You didn't think that until Tony mentioned it."

"Who's Tony?" Andy questioned.

"He's one of my teammates."

"But he's right," she asserted. "They do look like elf shoes."

"Well, it is Christmas," Brooke joked.

Nathan fought the urge to roll his eyes. He'd looked over all of the prototypes, and he still thought the green ones were the best. "I'll show them to you guys later, and we'll see what you think."

The rest of dinner passed by smoothly. Everyone continued to talk and joke around through dessert. By the time they were done eating, everyone was stuffed.

"The Tums are in the bathroom cabinet to the right, Dad," Haley instructed her father. He was looking a little pale. But then again, her father always ate until he actually felt sick. He never seemed to learn his lesson over the years.

Haley returned to the dining room. "If you guys want to head into the living room now, you can. I'll just clean up."

"I'll do it, Hales," Nathan told her. "You've done enough today."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Besides, Luke is going to help me," he stated, smirking.

Lucas's head shot up. "Huh?"

Everyone just laughed.

"We'll all help," Jake offered. "It's the least we can do."

"You can't do it now, though. We all have to exchange gifts first," Brooke reminded them. "I'm dying to see what I got."

"Some things never change," Peyton laughed.

"I want presents, too!" Lily exclaimed.

Deidra turned to her mom with her best puppy dog eyes. "Can we please open gifts, Mommy?"

"That's up to your Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan."

Deidra looked over at them "Puh-leeeeeeaaaaase?"

Haley smiled and motioned toward the living room. "Let's go."

"Yay!" Lily and Deidra shouted together. The whole group made its way into the living room. Haley and Vivian went into the kitchen for a few minutes to make some more coffee and hot chocolate for everyone while Nathan lit the fireplace. He sat on the loveseat with Haley snuggled next to him. Gifts were exchanged and the sound of wrapping paper being ripped could be heard throughout the room.

"Oh my God, Brooke!" Haley exclaimed when she saw the dress her friend had given her. It was absolutely gorgeous.

"It's one of my newest designs. I figured you'd put it to good use."

"It's beautiful. Thank you," she replied.

"Haley, this is awesome," Nathan proclaimed when he opened her gift a few moments later. It was a portable video/audio picture frame that featured a small, adjustable camera for video messages and an internal microphone for digital voice messages.

"I bought one for myself, too. I figured it'd be better than us just talking on the phone when you're away," she explained. "And it's smaller than the laptop, since I know you hate carting it around."

"I love it. It really is perfect." He pecked her on the lips.

"I'm glad."

"Wow, that's nice," Lucas said. "Brooke and I should probably get those, too."

"Where'd you get it?" Brooke asked.

"Online. I can give you the website."

"Are you ready for your gift?" Nathan questioned, nudging her.

She grinned happily and held out her hands. "Lay it on me, Scott."

"It's kind of heavy," he informed her before making his way over to the tree. He picked up a large box and placed it in front of her.

"Ooh, it looks like it'll be good, Haley Bop," Lydia declared playfully.

"Is it another puppy?" Haley questioned.

Nathan laughed. "No. Been there, done that."

Haley stared at it in curiosity for a moment. The box would probably reach her waist standing up; it was so large.

"Go ahead," Nathan urged. He couldn't wait to see Haley's reaction.

She began to tear off the wrapping paper, aware that all of her family and friends' eyes were on her. It took a moment before she got enough paper off to see the box. "A Karaoke machine!" she excitedly exclaimed. Despite the fact that she could play her own music on a piano and guitar, she'd always wanted something like this.

"I know you have your keyboard, but I figured you could have some fun with this, too. I even bought a few CD's for it already. One has Christmas songs so…"

"It's amazing!" she beamed while throwing her arms around him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Now we're really going to have some fun tonight," Vivian joked.

About a half hour later, all of the presents had been opened. Everyone remained in the living room and continued to chat. The only light in the room came from the tiny bulbs on the Christmas tree and the fireplace.

"Okay, everyone, sorry to interrupt," Brooke declared as she and Lucas stood up. "But Lucas and I have an announcement to make."

"Yes, I've been dying to find out what's made you extra chipper these last couple of days," Peyton stated.

"Me, too," Haley agreed. Brooke was always fun and bubbly, but it wasn't hard to notice just how much more she'd been smiling recently.

Brooke's smile got even wider. "It's fabulous. Trust me."

"Then what is it?" Karen urged along with the others.

"Well, as you guys know, Brooke and I have been dating for about eight years now," Lucas said. "She's always been there for me through everything and vice versa. So we decided that it was time—"

"He finally proposed!" she squealed while taking a ring off of her right hand and placing it on her left. She then held it up for everyone to see. "We're engaged!"

"Brooke!" Lucas lightly scolded.

"Sorry. You were going too slowly. I got excited," she excused, causing everyone to laugh. The whole group stood up to wish them well.

"Congratulations, Luke," Nathan said while hugging his brother. "You guys deserve to be happy."

Jake patted his back. "Yeah, man. We've all been rooting for ya."

Peyton also hugged both Brooke and Lucas. "It's about damn time!"

"Yeah, we were wondering if it would ever happen," Haley teased.

"Us, too," Keith and Karen spoke up.

"Welcome to the family, Brooke," Karen added. "Even though we already think of you as a second daughter."

"You know, it could've actually happened sooner. All you had to do, Brooke, was get Lucas in a tux, get him drunk, and then ask him to marry you. That's how Haley bagged Nathan," Lydia joked.

Everyone busted out laughing as Haley's face turned bright red. Nathan just smirked.

"It wasn't like I did it on purpose," Haley defended. "And it was Nathan who proposed to me."

Jimmy chuckled. "Don't be embarrassed, Pumpkin. It was good work."

Haley smacked a laughing Nathan next to her.

"What?" he replied. "It's true."

"I hate you all," Haley muttered while suppressing a smile. She turned to Brooke. "So, have you guys decided on a date yet?"

"We were thinking October," Brooke answered. "I've always wanted a fall wedding."

"That'll be really nice," Deb commented.

It was a few more minutes before everyone started to settle down. Nathan shot a questioning look to Haley. It was their turn now that Lucas and Brooke had finally shared their news. Haley felt the butterflies start to form in her stomach. She bit her lip nervously and nodded. Nathan took her hand and led them to stand in front of everyone.

"Now what's going on?" Keith asked, chuckling.

"Haley and I actually have an announcement of our own."

Lydia and the others exchanged glances. "Really? We had no idea."

"You guys didn't say anything," Deb mentioned.

Haley squeezed Nathan's hand before answering. "Well, we wanted it to be a surprise. And we were also waiting for the perfect moment."

"Lucas and Brooke are a hard act to follow, but our news is pretty big. Well, really big, actually." Nathan hardly ever got anxious, but he was starting to feel a little on edge. Everyone was staring at him and Haley so intently. He dropped her hand and wrapped an arm around Haley's shoulders to pull her close.

"Well, what is it, Haley Bop?" Vivian questioned after a silent minute. "You're making us nervous."

"Yeah," the others added in unison.

She took a deep breath and exchanged one more quick glance with Nathan. "Okay, I'm just going to say it. I'm pregnant," she announced. "We're going to have a baby!"

"OH MY GOD!" Brooke shouted as everyone else started screaming and yelling in excitement. The whole room was in an even bigger uproar. Before Haley knew it, all of their family and friends were hugging her and Nathan and congratulating them.

"Finally! Finally, finally, fin-ALLY!" Lydia proclaimed.

Jimmy slapped Nathan on the back. "Now that's a Christmas gift!"

"I can't believe I'm going to be an uncle," Lucas stated.

Deb laughed. "I can't believe I'm going to be a grandma!" She kissed Nathan's cheek. "But this is such good news, honey."

"Where's the baby?" Deidra asked, confused. Lily was right beside her.

"In my stomach," Haley answered.

"I don't see it." Lily got close to Haley's waist and squinted her eyes.

"Well, the baby's very small right now. But eventually it'll get bigger."

"How far along are you?" Peyton inquired.

"Seven weeks. My first doctor's appointment is actually this week."

"That is so amazing, Haley Bop. I'm so happy for you," Vivian told her. "When are you due?"

"Either late July or early August. We don't know the exact date yet."

"This is so cool. I guess I'll have to call you Tutor Mom from now on," Brooke joked.

"The baby is going to be so adorable," Lydia gushed. "I can't wait."

"When did you guys first find out?" Karen questioned.

"Well, I found out a few weeks ago," Haley replied. "But I didn't tell Nathan until last week when he came home."

Lucas smirked. "How did that go?"

"I was surprised."

"More like shocked," Haley corrected, laughing. "His only response was 'oh.'"

"'Oh,' what?" Deb prodded.

"Nothing. Just 'oh.'"

"Nice work, Nate," Lucas chuckled along with the others.

Nathan held his hands up in defense. "Hey, I wasn't expecting it at all. But once the shock wore off I was fine."

"Have you been feeling okay?" Vivian inquired. "I used to get so sick with Dee."

Haley groaned. "Oh, I get sick all right. I throw up and feel nauseous almost every day."

Lydia looked at her in concern. "You poor thing! Haley, honey, were you sick today?"

She was about to deny it when Nathan answered for her, "A few times."

"Nathan," Haley lightly scolded. She didn't want everyone to feel bad.

"And you did all that cooking and work."

"It's okay, Mom. It passed after a while."

"Well, from now on you are not lifting a finger while I'm here."

"But, Mom—"

"No. No buts," she stated firmly. "You've served us all enough. Now you just concentrate on growing my healthy little grandbaby. So just sit that tiny butt of yours down while the rest of us clean this mess up."

Haley tried to protest again, but no one would hear of it. So she remained on the couch and talked with Peyton and Brooke. She also couldn't help but marvel at Brooke's ring. Lucas was just as talented at picking them as Nathan. A short while later, Keith and Lucas set up her karaoke machine. Everyone proceeded to sing Christmas carols despite some people's lack of vocal ability.

It truly was a fun and magical night that Haley would never forget.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_**December 27, 2011**_

"Did you eat enough?"

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"Because I know that when I was pregnant—"

"Mom!" Haley exclaimed. "I'm fine. If I eat any more, I won't be able to have dessert."

"And there is no way the birthday girl cannot have dessert," Brooke spoke up. "Cake is a must."

Haley smiled good-naturedly as her eyes surveyed the room. The whole family was at one of her favorite restaurants in Seattle. Nathan had made the reservations for that evening and requested a private dining room for their group. It was beautiful and had the most spectacular view of a nearby lake.

"Don't feel bad," Vivian whispered conspiratorially. "Mom called and fussed over me all the time when I was having Dee."

Haley smiled. "Somehow I'm not surprised." She looked around the long table. Everyone was chatting happily, and Haley couldn't help but feel at ease by the scene. It was so nice to have everyone together.

"You gonna finish that?" Lucas questioned, leaning over and looking into Nathan's plate.

"Yes," Nathan answered as he forked his last bite of prime rib and popped it into his mouth.

"So much for brotherly love."

"Hey, you didn't give me any of your lobster," he pointed out.

"It's not like it was that huge."

"All I wanted was a claw."

"Which is my favorite part."

"There are two," Nathan argued.

"But I—"

"Do I have to separate you two?" Haley interjected with an amused grin.

Nathan glared at Lucas before pecking Haley on the lips. "Sorry, babe. It was just a brotherly disagreement."

"We'll behave," Lucas promised.

"I hope the baby has a better temper than you two," she teased.

Nathan put his hand to her stomach. "I'm sure he or she will be perfect. Just like you," he stated before kissing her again. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her most of the night. Haley looked stunning in her red halter dress, and it was slowly driving him crazy. If only their family and friends weren't around…

"You know, some of us are still eating here," Keith kidded.

The two quickly broke apart as a blush colored Haley's cheeks. It was still so easy for her and Nathan when they were together to just forget that others were around them.

"Oh, leave them alone. They're cute," Karen said.

"She is the birthday girl," Peyton reminded them. "She can do what she wants."

"Sir," the waiter said as he approached the table. "Would you like us to bring out the dessert now?"

"A few more minutes would be good," Nathan replied. Everyone looked like they needed a bit more time to digest the big meal they'd just eaten.

"Sure." The man, along with a few other servers, began to clear the table.

"So, Haley Bop," Jimmy called from across the table, "how does it feel to be twenty four?"

"I don't know. The same as it did to feel twenty three," she answered with a shrug.

"You're still young. Wait until you hit thirty," Deb said. "That's when you'll feel it."

"I remember when I turned thirty," Karen spoke up. "I cried."

Keith rolled his eyes. "It was ridiculous. It wasn't that big a deal."

"Yes, it was."

"I remember my mom crying," Brooke spoke up. "Of course it was difficult to tell from her facial expression after all the botox she'd gotten that day."

"Okay, stop. I'm going to be thirty next year," Vivian spoke up. Haley held back a laugh when she noticed her sister pouting.

"Please," Lydia scoffed. "Thirty is nothing. Wait until you hit the big 4-0. Now that sucks."

"How about we just don't talk about age at all?" Andy suggested.

Keith and the other guys nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me."

Much to Nathan's relief, he noticed the waiter approaching the table with Haley's cake in his hands. The other servers were behind him, already starting to sing "Happy Birthday." The others soon joined in. Nathan smiled when he noticed Haley's face redden all over again. She always got embarrassed when everyone's eyes were on her.

"Make a wish, Hales," Nathan encouraged once the song was over. She seemed to think about it for a moment before finally blowing out the candles. Everyone clapped and cheered while the cake was cut.

"This is really good," Haley said once she'd taken the first bite of her piece. "Nathan, did you pick this out?"

He nodded, grinning. "Yeah. I know how addicted to chocolate you are. There's also one more thing."

"What is it?" Haley questioned curiously.

Nathan nodded to the waiter. The guy motioned for one of the other servers to come forward. When Haley saw what was in the woman's hand, a huge, beaming smile formed on her face.

"Spray whip!" she exclaimed excitedly. She _loved_ that stuff.

"We couldn't forget that," Nathan chuckled.

Haley closed the gap between them to give him a quick kiss. "Thank you for all of this." He'd done a lot to make her birthday special.

"Don't thank me just yet. You haven't even seen your present."

"I don't know what else you could possibly give me." Haley already felt like she had everything she could ever want.

Nathan just smiled. "You'll see."

It was several more minutes before everyone was finished.

"Is it finally time for presents?" Brooke questioned impatiently.

Peyton rolled her eyes and laughed. "Seriously, Brooke. It's not even your birthday and you're all on edge."

"Whatever, P. Sawyer. Tutor Mom is going to die when she sees what I got her."

"Well, maybe we should let Nathan give his present first," Lucas proposed. "Since he is her husband and organized all of this."

"Actually, I'd like to go last," Nathan stated. He knew without a doubt that no one could top his present. He couldn't wait to see Haley's face.

"See, it's fine," Brooke said as she handed Haley a large gift bag. "This is from Broody and me."

Haley reached into the bag and gasped when she saw the Clothes Over Bro's Couture shoulder bag. It was white with a gray and black-colored ribbon pattern. "Brooke, this is gorgeous," Haley complimented.

"Look inside," she urged.

Haley unzipped the bag and almost squealed when she saw all the beautiful jewelry inside. "Brooke…"

"I know how you hate buying designer things for yourself, so I took the liberty of getting all of this wonderful stuff for you."

"This is all really great. Thank you," Haley said. She'd already spotted a pair of earrings that she was dying to wear. "And you, too, Luke."

Lucas chuckled and shrugged. "Brooke was the mastermind that picked it all out. I just signed the card."

Haley laughed. "Well, I guess it's the thought that counts." She then proceeded to open up everyone else's gifts. She got gift certificates, more jewelry, a new cook book, and an exclusive autographed CD that Peyton managed to snag from the record label where she worked. The band was supposed to be the next big thing. Haley also opened up the presents that her good friends Megan and Anna had sent her in the mail. They'd called her earlier that day.

"Is that the last of it?" Nathan questioned.

"I think so," Haley answered.

He smiled. "Good."

"So, what is this mystery present you have for me?" she inquired. The rest of the group looked genuinely curious, too.

Nathan reached into his coat pocket, pulled out an envelope, and then handed it to her. "Open it."

Haley's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she did as he said. Inside was a piece of paper. It appeared to be written in some type of legal jargon. "Nathan, what is this?"

"A deed," he answered. A few murmurs could be heard from the others.

She stared at him, confused. "A deed to what?"

"To the house I bought us in Tree Hill."

Everyone gasped in surprise.

"A house?" Haley questioned, stunned. "In Tree Hill?" She had not been expecting this at all, but that didn't stop the excitement from building within her. Could this mean what she thought it meant?

"We always talked about owning property in different places. I figured now is as good a time as any to make it happen," Nathan explained. He reached into his coat pocket again and pulled out some photos. "This is what it looks like."

Haley stared at the pictures in amazement. The whole thing looked absolutely gorgeous. The rooms appeared large, and the back of the house included a balcony overlooking an in-ground pool in the yard. "Oh my God," she murmured.

"It's big but not too huge," Nathan said. He knew that Haley didn't like things overdone.

"When did you buy this?"

"I've been looking for nice houses in Tree Hill for a few months now. I saw this one online and stopped to check it out when I had a game against the Bobcats. It was perfect timing, actually. The owners had a good offer and were about to sell it before I got there."

Haley looked over the pictures that featured the inside of the house. The design and setup was beautiful. "Is this all of the previous owners' furniture?" she inquired.

Nathan shook his head. "No. Actually, it's ours."

"How did you pull that off?" Brooke interjected as she leaned over Lucas to get a peek at the photos. Vivian was doing the same on the opposite side.

"I hired a decorator."

Haley stared at him in astonishment. "You did?"

"I figured that since we're currently living in Seattle and are so busy, we wouldn't have time to paint or furnish it. So I took pictures of our apartment and sent them to the decorator, that way she could get a feel for our style. I thought it'd be nice if everything was already taken care of for us by the time we got there. But, I mean, if there is anything you don't like or want to have changed, that's fine. We can do that ourselves," he added.

"Oh my God," Haley repeated. She was officially in shock.

Nathan watched her face carefully. It seemed like Haley liked it, but he couldn't be sure. She was definitely surprised. That much was obvious. "Hales?" he said, trying to get her attention.

She looked up from the photos a moment later. "Yeah?"

"What do you think?" he asked anxiously. Everyone else at the table was staring at her intently.

"I'm…I'm just so blown away by this," she murmured. "But…"

"But what?" Nathan urged, more on edge.

She smiled with unshed tears in her eyes. "But I love it."

He breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't exactly sure how Haley would react. He'd hoped she would like it, but there was always the possibility that she'd be pissed he'd gone and bought them their first house without consulting her. "You do?"

"Based on these pictures, it looks gorgeous."

"It's even better when you see it for yourself. Trust me."

"I don't doubt that. It seems perfect." She brought her hand to his face and guided his lips to hers. "Thank you."

"That's one hell of a gift, Nate," Jimmy laughed.

Deb was beaming. "This is so exciting. And I can't believe you managed to visit Tree Hill without telling me, Nathan."

"Sorry. I didn't want anyone knowing and then it somehow getting back to Haley."

"This is amazing!" Brooke beamed. "What's the address?"

"It's on Keaney Street," Nathan answered.

"Oh my God! That's not far from our house!"

He nodded. "Another perk."

Brooke and Lucas had bought a house in Tree Hill together a couple of years ago. They lived on the coast, and it was usually where Nathan and Haley stayed when they visited Tree Hill.

"I still can't believe you did this," Haley murmured. "It's so great. I can't wait to see it."

"Well, I was thinking that we could go in May after the season is over. But now that you're pregnant, I don't know if it's okay for you to travel…"

"That depends," Lydia said. "They say it's okay to travel in your second trimester."

"But she's due in August," Deb pointed out. "How long were you planning on staying in Tree Hill?"

"I don't know. A few months. Maybe the summer," Nathan replied.

"Would the baby be born in Tree Hill?" Lucas questioned.

"I was thinking about that. If she had the baby in August, we could stay in Tree Hill for a few more weeks before coming back to Seattle."

Haley frowned. "Come back?"

"Well, I've got training with the team before the new season starts in October," Nathan explained.

"You mean the Sonics?"

"Yes," Nathan laughed. "That is my team, Hales."

"Oh," she commented as the disappointment washed through her. Haley quickly plastered a smile on her face. "Right. Of course. I just spaced."

"Being pregnant does that to you," Lydia informed her.

"I guess. I forgot to mention that I'm still in school in May," Haley reminded him.

"Crap," Nathan muttered. "I forgot about that, too."

"Which would force you to go later," Karen concluded.

Vivian shook her head. "It might be too late by then."

Nathan took Haley's hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of it. "We have a lot to discuss, but I'm sure we'll work something out."

Haley nodded in agreement. "Yeah. We don't have to decide right now."

"Enough of this travel talk then," Jimmy proclaimed. "Now, did Lydia and I ever tell you all about this guy we saw on the road? He looked just like Chewbacca…"

Haley leaned into Nathan and tried to concentrate on her parents' story. Everyone was smiling and laughing. She tried to follow along and push away that small, nagging voice to the back of her mind. She could worry about the future later.

* * *

"I can't believe you met her!" Vivian exclaimed.

"I did."

"So what's she like?" Haley questioned. Brooke was just telling them about some celebrity starlet she'd met at a party in New York. The girls were having coffee at a tiny café that wasn't too far from the apartment.

"The complete opposite of what she's like on TV."

Peyton laughed. "Let me guess, she's a total bitch."

"Yeah, pretty much," Brooke replied.

Vivian frowned and sipped her coffee. "Didn't she just get out of rehab?"

The brunette scoffed. "Rehab my ass."

They all laughed at that.

"That's so cool, though, that you get to go to all these big parties," Haley commented. "Your clothing line must really be taking off now."

"It is. It's so exciting. I mean, at the last big red carpet event I literally heard Jessica Alba say that she was wearing Brooke Davis!" Brooke gushed. "I just about died and went to heaven."

"Good for you, Brooke," Peyton complimented. "You've worked so hard over the years for this. You deserve it." Haley and Vivian nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, guys," Brooke replied as she took a sip of her latte. "So, how are things going with all of you? It's not like we got a chance to really talk because of the holidays and everything. P. Sawyer?"

"Um, things are going good."

"Just good?"

"Well, I'm still the assistant to the assistant at the record label so…"

"Just hang in there, Peyton. I'm sure you'll get your chance," Haley encouraged.

"You could do that. Or you could start looking around for another job. Maybe someone else would be willing to give you a better position," Vivian suggested.

Peyton sighed. "I've thought about that, but I don't know."

"I know some people at Capital Records. They came to one of my fashion shows," Brooke spoke up, the wheels in her head already turning. "I could maybe make a few calls—"

"No, Brooke, that's okay," she quickly objected. "I don't want anyone to do me any favors."

"It's not a favor. All I have to do is mention your name. The rest would be up to you."

Peyton shook her head. "Thanks but no thanks. I'm actually not even sure if I want to be in the music business anymore."

They all stared at her in surprise. "Really?" Haley asked. "But you love music."

"And I still do. But I've actually been drawing and painting again. I mean, I studied art in college and haven't had a chance to use it since. And it's always been another passion of mine besides music."

"So what exactly do you think you want to do?" Vivian inquired.

"I was actually toying with the idea of opening my own art gallery."

"Peyton, that sounds great," Haley enthused.

Brooke nodded in agreement. "Definitely. I think that'd be amazing for you."

Haley took a sip of her hot chocolate before asking, "Would it be in L.A.?"

"I don't know," Peyton answered with a shrug. "To be honest, I'd really like to move back to the East Coast."

"What does Jake think?" Vivian questioned.

"Well, right now he's going over his options. He finally graduated from law school at UCLA last year and passed the state bar exam," Peyton explained. "He's been looking into a few firms in L.A."

"But did you tell him what you want to do?" Haley urged.

"I mentioned it casually one time. I haven't brought it up again, though."

"You're going to have to do it soon," Brooke advised. "You don't want him accepting a job somewhere. Then you'll be stuck."

"I know. I plan on talking to him when we get back to L.A."

"Good."

"So, Viv, you're up. How is life in sunny Florida?" Haley teased.

"Hot, muggy, and totally awesome. This place is too cold for me!" she joked.

"And how are things going at the ad agency?"

"I'm only working part time, because I want to be home more for Dee. But things are going well. Bill might be getting a promotion soon."

"Awesome," Brooke said.

"It's something to look forward to."

"And how is life with Dee?" Peyton inquired.

"Well, she drives me nuts. She makes messes, throws tantrums, always wants me to buy her a new toy…but I love her more than anything. She's just so cute!" Vivian gushed.

"That she is," Haley agreed.

"And speaking of children, Tutor Mom, we are all dying to hear what your future will hold," Brooke stated.

"Well, what do you want to know?"

The three women all looked at each other before replying in unison, "Everything."

"Okay…well, as far as work goes it's been good. Although we did get a new principal who's kind of a bitch," Haley explained. "And then Nathan is doing well with the Sonics. And…"

"The baby?" Brooke prodded.

"The baby, as you know, is due in either July or August. And Nathan and I will be going to our first doctor's appointment next week."

"You'll get your first sonogram soon, too," Vivian informed her. "It'll probably be a few more weeks."

"Aw, that's so exciting!" Brooke exclaimed. "You have to show us the picture when you get it!"

Peyton brushed her blond curls aside and leaned her elbows on the table. "Do you and Nathan eventually want to know what it is, or will it be a surprise?"

"I don't know. I'd like to know, but we haven't had a chance to really discuss anything. We've been so busy with the holidays and having you all come to visit."

"Sorry," Peyton replied.

"Oh, no. We're happy to have everyone. It really made everything perfect."

"Speaking of perfect, it is so awesome that Nathan bought you that house in Tree Hill," Brooke said.

Haley smiled. "I know. I just hope that we have some time to spend there."

"Have you talked to Nathan yet about that?" Vivian inquired.

Haley stared at her sister for a moment. "Vivian," she warned.

"What? I saw the disappointment on your face yesterday, Haley Bop."

Brooke and Peyton exchanged confused looks. "Are we missing something?" Brooke asked.

Haley sighed and glanced away from her friends. "It's nothing."

Vivian shook her head. "No, it's not."

"Guys, what's going on?" Peyton demanded.

"Do you want to tell them or should I?" Vivian said to Haley.

"Remind me why I ever confided in you?"

"Because I'm your big sister and you needed someone to talk to."

"Okay," Brooke cut in and pointed to herself and Peyton. "We're still lost over here."

Haley sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "When Nathan surprised me with the house yesterday, I thought that it meant he wanted to move back to Tree Hill. But I was wrong."

Peyton frowned. "So what's the problem?"

"The problem is that, well, I really want to move back to Tree Hill."

Brooke looked at her, surprised. "You do?"

Haley nodded. "Yes."

"I thought you loved Seattle?"

"Well, I like it. I do. I've got a good job, Nathan's team is here, we have our amazing apartment, and we made some great friends. But it…I don't know. It doesn't completely feel like home to me," Haley explained. "I just really miss Tree Hill."

"What about Tree Hill do you miss exactly?" Peyton prodded.

"A lot of things. I grew up in Honey Grove, which was a really small town. I like that Tree Hill is small, but not too much so. It's just right. Not to mention that it's where most of our family and friends are from," she stated. "I feel so cut off from everyone here in Seattle. And then when I think about the baby, I don't want to raise our child in the city. I always wanted to raise a family in a beautiful house in the suburbs where it's safe and quiet.

"I just…I fell in love with Tree Hill that summer we moved there. I was hoping we could move back after we graduated school, but then Nathan got an offer to play with the Sonics. I was so proud of him, and I didn't want him to turn it down. So I agreed to move to Seattle and tried to make the adjustment. I've gotten used to it, but I still feel like something is missing."

"Have you told Nathan any of this?" Peyton asked.

Haley shook her head as a few unexpected tears fell from her eyes. "No." She didn't want to get this emotional in front of her friends. But after holding these feelings in for so long, they were finally coming out.

"Aw, Tutor Girl," Brooke soothed as she grabbed her hand.

"Nathan's contract with the Sonics is up after this season. I was hoping that since he bought the house that we would move back to Tree Hill and he'd look for teams near there," she said. "But then he said that we could visit the house and would stay permanently in Seattle. He wants to sign again with the Sonics. Now I don't know what to do."

"I can't believe you felt like that all this time," Peyton commented. "We all thought you loved Seattle."

"Yeah, we had no idea," Brooke said and turned to Vivian. "How'd you find out this was bothering her?"

"Haley called me up crying one night. Nathan was on the road with the team," Vivian told them.

"Look, I don't want you guys to think that I'm completely miserable here. I'm not. I have my good days and my bad. And geography isn't everything. No matter where we live, Nathan is my home. He's living his dream. He's happy. I don't want to take that away from him."

"And what about your dreams, Haley?" Vivian countered. "Your happiness? That counts, too. I don't doubt that Nathan is home to you. It's how we all feel about the ones we love. But that doesn't mean it's wrong or abnormal for you to want more. To want something different."

"Vivian's right. Haley, you need to tell Nathan. He would want to know. He wouldn't want you feeling like this," Peyton informed her.

Brooke bobbed her head in agreement. "You have to be honest with him, or you're only going to feel worse. And then he'll probably feel guilty because you're suffering."

"Plus, Nathan can play basketball anywhere," Vivian pointed out. "You wouldn't be taking anything away from him. It's a chance for you both to be happy."

Haley let their words sink in for a moment. "I will talk to him," she declared. "Just not right now. I need some time to sort through all of this."

"Just as long as you tell him."

"But don't wait too long," Brooke advised her.

"Yeah," Peyton said. "Like you told me, you don't want to wait until he's made plans and it's too late."

"I won't," Haley promised.

She knew that her friends and sister were right. She and Nathan always tried to be honest with one another. Now was no different. The only problem was finding the right time to actually bring up the topic. Haley wasn't sure how Nathan would react. The Sonics were the first team to draft him. He thought of Tony and his teammates as brothers. What would Nathan think when she told him she didn't want to stay in Seattle? Or that she wanted to move back to Tree Hill? It was obvious this whole conversation would be easier said than done.


	8. Chapter 7

**Thank you all for the reviews last chapter. I really enjoyed reading your comments. I hope you all will like this next chapter and continue to review. Also, have a Happy Thanksgiving!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"Damn, we suck."

"No kidding."

"Speak for yourselves. I think I'm pretty good."

Nathan laughed as he saw his Uncle Keith, Andy, and Jimmy huffing and puffing on the basketball court. While the women went out shopping, the guys had decided to hang out on their own. Nathan had taken everyone to the Sonics' practice court so they could play some basketball.

"That's only because you've got Nathan on your team," Keith argued.

"Hey!" Lucas protested. "What am I? Chopped liver?"

"He's been dunking on you the whole game, Luke."

"I can't do it by myself."

"Hey, I tried to get open," Bill excused.

Nathan smirked. "I love how we have one person less than you guys and we're still kicking your asses." He, Jake, and Jimmy were leading by at least ten points.

Lucas looked to his current teammates before glaring back at Nathan. "Oh, it's on now."

"Bring it."

The game resumed, and the guys played for another half hour until Nathan's team finally won.

"I believe that's game," Nathan declared as he, Jake, and Jimmy high-fived each other.

"That was a lucky shot," Lucas muttered.

Keith wiped the sweat from his brow. "I need a drink."

"Me, too," Andy said as he walked over to collect his water bottle.

"Actually, I was thinking of hard liquor," Keith joked.

"There's a bar down the street. We can go if you want," Nathan suggested, drinking from his own water bottle.

Jimmy shrugged. "I could use a beer—if the losing team's buying."

"First you steal our pride. Now you want our money?"

"I'm poor. Not all of us are NBA stars making the big bucks," Bill quipped.

"You lose, you lose. It's only fair," Jake spoke up with an impish grin.

"Oh, whatever. I'll pay," Lucas declared with a sigh.

"That makes sense. You are the reason they lost." Nathan chuckled loudly as he dodged the basketball his brother threw at him. "Careful. I do have the home court advantage."

"Yeah, well, next game I'm smearing your ass across it."

"We'll see about that, old man."

"If he's old then I might as well be dead," Jimmy laughed as the guys made their way into the locker room to shower and change.

Once they were all ready, the group walked to the nearby bar. It had a large, open room. Toward the front were tables where customers could eat and drink. A small section in the middle closed off by railings held pool tables and a jukebox. At the very back was the long wooden bar. The atmosphere was dim and casual. The only source of light came from the front door and the lights overhead.

"Hey, Nathan."

"What's up, Owen?" Nathan greeted in response.

Sometimes after practice or a game, Nathan and his teammates would go there to hang out and unwind. They'd come to know the owner and his son Owen, who was the bartender, pretty well. Of course, what business wouldn't want to be known for serving Sonics players?

The Sonics had come a long way since Nathan joined the team. He'd actually won the Rookie of the Year Award for his outstanding performance on the court his first year. The Sonics may not have taken home the championship, but they'd lit it up that season. His second year was just as good, if not better. They'd been only one game away from the finals before they lost. But that was about to change this season. Nathan was determined to take his team all the way this time. They'd trained and played hard. They'd earned it. Hopefully it'd be third times the charm.

"What can I get you?" Owen asked.

"A couple pitchers of your best beer should do it."

"Coming right up."

"I like it in here," Bill commented. "It's a bar, but it doesn't have that shit-hole vibe."

"Shit-hole vibe?" Jake laughed.

"You know, when the place is dirty and beefy biker guys with tattoos are all over the place."

"I can't say I've been to one of those," Andy mentioned offhandedly.

"You don't want to. Trust me." Bill seemed to shudder at some unknown memory.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that here," Nathan said. "This place has a good reputation. My teammates and I come here often. Hell, even Haley comes here."

Lucas frowned. "By herself?"

"No, with me, dumbass," Nathan laughed. "You think I'd let my wife go to a bar alone?"

"You said it was a nice place."

"So? That's not going to stop some perverted prick out there from trying to hit on her."

"I still remember that time some guy grabbed Haley's ass at Tric," Jake commented. "Nathan almost busted his face in."

"Did you really?" Jimmy asked.

"Almost. But Haley managed to calm me down before I did anything." If it was anyone else but Haley asking him to walk away, he probably wouldn't have been able to rein himself in.

"She's always had a way of diffusing situations. She's just like her mom."

Lucas smiled. "Brooke's the total opposite. I'm usually the one holding her back."

The guys laughed knowingly at that one, having witnessed Hurricane Davis a time or two.

Owen returned shortly and placed the pitchers on the bar. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Nathan said as Lucas took out his wallet. The guys walked over to a couple of tables and pulled them together. They talked and joked around for a while before Nathan, Lucas, Jake, and Bill decided to play some pool.

"So, Nathan, thanks again for getting us those tickets to your game Saturday. I can't remember the last time I've been to one," Bill stated.

"It's no problem. I figured I'd be gone for a couple of hours that night. And since Haley goes to all of the games, she wouldn't be around either. We might as well just have everyone come and be included."

"Is Clay going to be there?" Lucas asked.

Jake stared at them, confused. "Who's Clay?"

"He's my agent," Nathan answered.

Clay was young—only a couple of years older than Nathan—but he sure knew what he was doing. The guy was a skilled negotiator and had managed to get Nathan a great contract with the Sonics when he was drafted. Clay also got Nathan some spreads in the best sports magazines, as well as some top-notch endorsement deals. Nathan signing on to produce his own brand of shoes with Nike had been completely his idea. Now the shoe line was considered one of the most anticipated new designs set to hit the market in 2012.

But not only was he a talented agent, Clay was also a good friend. Nathan hung out with Clay as much as he did Tony. There were a lot of people in the business who would like to get their hooks into Nathan and use him to acquire their own wealth. But Clay wasn't like that. He watched out for Nathan's best interests both on and off the court. Nathan had complete trust in him.

"No. He's on vacation in Hawaii. He left a couple of weeks ago and won't be back until next Friday."

"You mean he finally took a vacation?"

"Yes." Nathan chuckled. "I made him."

"I gather he doesn't do that very often," Bill said as he set everything up for their game.

"No, he's always working. And he doesn't really have any family, so I suggested that he take a long overdue trip for the holidays. He needed a break for a while," Nathan explained. "Originally Haley and I had asked him if he'd like to come over for Christmas, but he felt funny about it. Hawaii was his next choice."

"Sure, because that's immediately where I'd go if I wasn't coming here," Jake joked.

"Lucky bastard," Bill added. "I'd kill for that warm weather now."

"I don't know how you do it here, man," Jake agreed.

Nathan shrugged. "It sucks, but you get used to it."

"New York gets pretty cold, too," Lucas spoke up before taking a shot. "Shit."

Bill took his shot afterward. "We go first and get solids."

"It's a good thing you don't have a game today, Luke," Nathan commented. "You'd lose that, too."

"Watch it, little brother, or I'll be shooting one of these balls into a different kind of hole."

Jake shook his head. "Damn, what is with all of the sibling hostility today? I'm wondering if those rivalry articles are right."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Nathan groaned.

Lucas scoffed. "I saw another one today. I keep telling Brooke not to buy those stupid tabloid magazines."

"You know women and their celebrity gossip. Viv reads them all of the time."

"Brooke likes the gossip, but mostly she's just trying to see which celebrities are wearing her designs."

"Typical Brooke," Nathan mumbled, unsurprised.

"By the way, I also was watching _Sports Center_ today. Jerome Garret was on the TV again trash talking you."

"That guy trash talks about everyone."

"I know, but he's an ass. Watch out for him on Saturday," Lucas warned. "He plays dirty. He once elbowed one of my teammates in the eye during a game."

"I shut that punk up once. I'll do it again," Nathan said, unconcerned. Jerome was a hot-tempered jackass, but he could handle him.

"Who's winning?" Keith asked, walking up to them. Jimmy and Andy were right behind him.

"That would be us," Jake announced.

"I bet Nathan and Lucas will make a comeback," Jimmy predicted.

"I don't know. Luke has been kind of off today."

Nathan smiled when he heard his brother groan beside him.

Jimmy took out his wallet and placed the cash on the table. "Ten bucks says they do."

Keith grinned at the challenge. "You're on."

* * *

"Lydia is going to kill me."

Nathan chuckled and glanced at his father-in-law. He and Lucas had actually won the first game of pool. They played a couple more games afterward with Jimmy, Keith, and Andy all placing bets. Unfortunately, Lucas's bad luck for the day kicked in and they lost the final two games. Now Jimmy was short fifty bucks.

"I'm assuming you were supposed to use that money on something else," Nathan stated as he opened the door to his apartment. Once they left the bar, the others decided to go back to their hotels.

"Yes. I'm a dead man, Nate."

Nathan reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Here."

"Oh, no, Nathan. You don't have to do that."

"It's fine."

Jimmy shook his head. "I can't take it."

"Yes, you can," Nathan argued. "It's no big deal. I've got plenty more where that came from. It's not like I'm going to miss it."

"You're a good man, Nate," Jimmy said when he finally took the money.

He shrugged casually. "I try."

"Well, thanks again. At least I don't have to worry about my wife kicking my ass. Lydia may seem nice, but she's downright scary when she's mad." Jimmy shuddered at the thought.

"Haley's the same way."

"I'm going to go take a shower before the ladies get home. I smell like a bar."

Nathan laughed. "I've got to workout. I've got that game in two days."

"Didn't you workout this morning already?"

"I do it more than once a day."

Jimmy patted his back and shook his head. "God bless you, kid."

"Thanks," Nathan muttered before heading to his own room to change into his workout clothes. He was just about to head into his exercise room when he heard a faint sound. Nathan halted his movements and listened intently. He heard it again a second later.

He followed the soft noise until he was standing outside of Haley's study. The door was closed, but he knew someone was inside. Nathan opened it carefully and poked his head in. "Hales, what are you doing here? I thought you went out shopping with the girls."

Haley was sitting with her laptop on her desk. Her eyes were red and puffy as tears streamed down her face. Concern instantly filled him at the sight of her.

Nathan walked completely into the room and shut the door behind him. He made his way over to her. "What's wrong?"

"I wasn't feeling well all day. I kept feeling like I was going to be sick, so I came home early." She sniffled. "I know it's from the pregnancy. And the ginger ale wasn't helping so I thought maybe I could look up some ways to maybe feel better. Then I stumbled across this site…"

Nathan looked at the computer screen and read the title. "'Dangers of the Womb.'"

Haley grabbed a tissue and wiped at the continuous flow of tears. "Our baby is going to have two heads!" she cried.

"You mean twins?"

"No. I mean two heads on one body." Nathan laughed out loud. "This isn't funny!"

"Haley, what the hell website is this?"

"It's true stories. This one woman in Peru, she had—"

Nathan crouched down in front of her and took her hands in his. "Baby, we don't live in Peru. And I highly doubt you feeling sick is because the baby could have two heads. Did any of the baby books you bought talk about something like that?"

She sniffled before answering, "No."

"Then why are you believing some crackpot website?" he gently pointed out.

"It doesn't mean it can't happen," she mumbled.

"Doesn't mean it will happen either," Nathan reasoned. He stood up and pulled Haley with him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her as she buried her face in his chest. "Why don't we stay off of the internet and just wait until the first doctor's appointment before we make a diagnosis? Okay?"

Haley nodded silently. Nathan placed his hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. He wiped away her remaining tears.

"I'm sorry," Haley said in a small voice. "I guess I freaked out for a moment there."

"Well, it's not like the baby books are all that optimistic either," Nathan muttered. He hadn't heard of a baby being born with two heads, but there were plenty of other situations outlined in some of those books that could scare the crap out of new parents. Since Haley was a born worrier, it wasn't hard to foresee her getting upset by some of those scenarios.

"Maybe I can ask my mom and Vivian about some better books," Haley suggested. She couldn't stand reading any more horror stories. She needed some positive reinforcement before she really psyched herself out.

"I'd trust them before I trusted a stupid site like that."

Haley shut her computer off and turned back to face Nathan. "Sorry," she apologized again.

"Hales, it's okay. I don't want you to be unnecessarily upset. You should be able to enjoy this pregnancy."

"You mean like getting sick and having mood swings 24/7?" she joked.

"Yeah, like that," he teased.

"You men have it easy."

"Well, I do have to deal with you being sick and having mood swings."

"Gee, I'm sorry I'm such a burden," she guffawed.

"Oh, stop it. You know I love you." Nathan closed the tiny gap between them and kissed her gently. He was just about to pull away when Haley's hand held him closer, and she deepened the kiss.

"Are you supposed to be working out?" she murmured against his lips. She recognized that he was wearing his gym clothes.

"Yes."

"Do you have to?"

"Why?"

Haley slid her hands under his shirt and grazed her fingertips up his abs and torso. Nathan groaned into her mouth in response. "I missed you today." She'd been feeling lousy all day. But being in Nathan's arms now and feeling his lips glide hotly over hers, Haley started to get a whole other feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Nathan tore his lips away from hers and left a trail down her neck. He heard Haley moan loudly as she threw her head back to give him better access. "Wait," he halted. "Your dad's home."

"So?"

"Hales, his room's next door. He could hear us."

"I don't care," she stated and started to lift up his shirt. "I want you."

"I can't believe I'm actually going to say this," Nathan muttered under his breath and stilled her hands, "but we can't do this right now, Hales."

"Why not?" she questioned in a small voice. "Don't you want me?"

Nathan inwardly cursed himself when he saw her eyes begin to water. Damn, her hormones were in full swing. "Of course I want you. I always want you."

"Then why won't you make love to me?" Haley demanded, her voice getting more forceful.

"Because I know that if we do this now and your father ever heard, you'd be completely mortified. I mean, you remember the other night, right? How quiet we had to be."

"I said it's no big deal."

"Is that you or the hormones talking?" Nathan knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as her eyes narrowed and her hands went to her hips.

"I'm in complete control of my hormones, thank you very much!"

"Hales—"

"So, what? Do I need to have a motive now to want to be with you?"

"No. I just meant that—"

"Meant to what? Hurt my feelings?"

Nathan sighed in frustration, trying to figure out how Haley had gone from crying to turned on to pissed off in the span of only a few minutes. "You know what? Fine," he gave in and took off his shirt. "We'll have sex."

He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head. "Forget it. I'm not in the mood anymore."

"Haley."

She slipped past him and walked toward the door. "I'm going to go eat something." It shut behind her with a loud _thud_.

Nathan groaned under his breath and ran an agitated hand through his hair. _What the hell just happened?_ He picked up his shirt, put it back on, and walked out into the hallway.

"Hey, Nate," Jimmy said as he left his room. "Did you finish your workout already?"

"Not yet." He paused for a moment. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Was that it?" he joked.

Nathan cracked a small smile. "No."

Jimmy patted his arm. "Sure, fire away, kid."

"When Lydia was pregnant, did she ever—"

"Yes."

"Did you ever—"

"Yes."

"Does it ever—"

"No." Jimmy put his arm around his shoulders. "Welcome to the perilous joys of pregnancy, Nathan. May the Force be with you."

Nathan blew out a stressed breath. "Great."


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

_**December 30, 2011**_

Nathan felt himself being dragged from a deep, comfortable sleep. His eyes fluttered open slowly. They felt so heavy from exhaustion. He glanced at his clock and saw that it was two in the morning. He sighed and shut his eyes, once again. It was way too early a time to be awake.

It was then that Nathan felt the source of what had woken him up. A pair of small, soft hands was gently stroking his exposed back. A second later, a few kisses were trailed across his skin. Nathan was still half asleep, but that didn't prevent his body from feeling all tingly at the caresses. He lay completely still for a few more minutes, enjoying the sensation.

"Nathan," Haley whispered. She knew that it was early in the morning—too early to be waking him up—but she couldn't help it. After feeling sick and experiencing a tumult of emotions yesterday, Haley had taken a nap for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Now it was the middle of the night, and she was wide awake.

Haley had thought about reading a little bit more of the baby books but had decided against it. The last thing that she needed was to freak herself out like she'd done earlier. She was going to hold off until she picked up a few books that her mother and Vivian had suggested. Haley was sick of reading about all of the things that could go wrong—which was pretty much everything. She needed to think positively.

But seeing as though it was the middle of the night and everyone else was sleeping, it left Haley with little to do to occupy herself. She thought about going downstairs to watch some TV but didn't want to chance waking everyone else up. Plus, it could get cold down there at night. She'd much rather stay snuggled up in her warm bed.

Haley had glanced around her bedroom. Even Duke was asleep in his bed in the corner. She'd then eyed at Nathan's sleeping form. He looked so peaceful. And like a few nights ago, he'd neglected to wear a shirt to bed. Haley's gaze had immediately honed in on the toned muscles of her husband's back. Her eyes trailed up to his broad shoulders and strong arms that were tucked under his pillow as he slept on his stomach.

Haley bit her lip to keep herself in check. She was such a sucker for his body. It was just so muscular and perfect. She couldn't help but admire it. Of course admiring it soon led to fantasizing about it, which ultimately led to memories of all the times it had moved over her and against her. Soon the warmth of the bed turned into a scorching heat. Haley's fingers itched with the urge to run her fingers down his smooth skin. Even in sleep she knew Nathan's skin would feel just as hot as hers at the moment. There was always heat emanating from him. At times Nathan was like her own personal electric blanket, and she loved it. She loved him.

Not liking the distance between them, Haley had given into the urge to snuggle up and touch him. At first her fingers had lightly grazed his back. But that evolved into full on strokes, eventually leading to kisses. Soon she was consumed by an insatiable need to feel him touching her back. Avoiding waking him up suddenly didn't matter. She wanted him up—in more ways than one.

Nathan groaned softly and turned his head to face her. "What is it, Hales?" he muttered, his voice thick with sleep. "What do you want?"

Haley leaned in and kissed his lips. "You."

Nathan forced his eyes fully open. He focused on his wife and instantly recognized the charged look in her gaze. She was biting her bottom lip, waiting for him to make the next move as her hands continued to rub his back. He was a bit surprised. Haley had barely talked to him after their little tiff in the study—something their relatives had noticed. Neither one offered an explanation and instead concentrated on spending more time with their friends and family before they left in a couple of days. Nathan had figured that Haley was still mad at him.

But the expression on her face now showed that she was clearly over that. Not wanting to test his luck twice, Nathan shifted onto his side to face her. He pulled Haley more into him before cupping her cheek. He pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply.

A low moan escaped her at the sensation of his hand running through her hair as his lips devoured hers. Haley clung to him tightly, her body aching to be connected to his. She felt like she might explode any second if she didn't have him. Haley had experienced desire like this for Nathan many times before. The only difference was now it felt like it was multiplied by ten. The inherent need was that strong. It was the same need she'd experienced several nights prior, as well as that afternoon.

A part of Haley knew it was the hormones. Her emotions had been extreme and all over the place lately. But in this case, she didn't care. This was one perk that Haley was going to thoroughly enjoy.

Nathan could feel the urgency and frantic want in Haley's kisses, which only seemed to heighten his own arousal. He changed their position and rolled on top of her, placing her on her back. Nathan's hands ran along her silk nightgown, tracing the outline of her enticing curves. He pushed aside one strap and nipped at her shoulder.

"Nathan," Haley whispered, urging him on. She ran her fingertips along the waistband of his pajama pants.

Nathan took the hint and quickly discarded them, along with his boxers. His hands ran down her nightgown once more before coming into contact with her bare thighs. He grabbed the hem and started to pull it up. Haley lifted her hips off of the bed to make it easier. A second later it was up and over her head, and thrown to the floor with his garments.

Haley's head sank into the pillow as Nathan mouthed his way down her naked form. A small smile spread across her face when he got to her stomach. He stared at it for a moment before leaving soft kisses all over her abdomen and drawing soothing circles with his thumbs.

After a couple of minutes Haley tugged on his arms to pull him back up. Nathan's lips returned to hers as he quickly removed her panties. She gasped into his mouth when he finally joined them together.

Nathan's breathing was ragged as their mouths mimicked their lower bodies. He took one of Haley's hands in his and intertwined their fingers. By the way she was squeezing his hand he knew his pace was probably slow and almost torturous for her. But Nathan also knew that it was what she needed. Their lovemaking wasn't meant to be quick. It was tender and passionate and prolonged.

Haley broke their kiss and pressed her face against his neck. She was out of breath and desperately trying to keep her moans and whimpers at bay. As much as she loved her parents, a part of her couldn't wait until they left so she didn't have to be so damn quiet while in the throes of passion. Then again, she and Nathan should probably get used to it. It's not like they could be loud once the baby was born.

"You feel so good, Hales," Nathan mumbled huskily into her ear. "I know you didn't think so, but I wanted you so badly yesterday."

Haley ran her nails down his back, knowing how much her husband loved it. She got the intended reaction when he quietly groaned into her hair and slightly quickened his pace.

"Really?"

At the sound of her small voice, Nathan met her gaze. His fingers tightened around Haley's as his lips sensually grazed against her own. "Of course I did. I always want you," he reassured her. He brought his other hand to her cheek and caressed it. "It's like I can't get enough."

He'd exercised twice as hard that afternoon to work off his frustrations. Nathan would gladly have taken her right on the desk when she wanted, but he just knew he couldn't with his father-in-law next door. It would've been way too risky. Now that he had Haley all to himself, there was definitely no holding back.

"Kiss me," Haley demanded. He readily obliged as she met him thrust for powerful thrust. It wasn't much longer until they both fell over the edge into a pleasure-filled oblivion.

Nathan collapsed next to her, and Haley shifted onto her side to face him. "I'm sorry about earlier," she apologized. "I didn't mean to get so mad at you."

Nathan brought her into his arms and ran his fingers through her chocolate locks. "It's okay, Hales."

"No, it's not. I know that I've been all over the place lately and driving you crazy." She hadn't intended to snap at him that afternoon. Haley honestly didn't know what happened. One minute she'd wanted him to take her on the desk and the next she was pissed and wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

"You've been under a lot of stress with the holidays and having everyone over. And you are pregnant. It's not the first time you've felt like that, and it probably won't be the last."

Haley leaned up and brushed her lips against his. "Well, I love you very much—even when I'm cranky and not in the best of moods."

"I know. And I love you, too," Nathan replied with a smile that transformed into a smirk.

Haley stared at him skeptically. "What?"

"It kind of reminds me when we first started living together in the apartment at Duke. One minute you'd be civil and the next you'd be chewing my head off about something."

"Hey, you asked for it, mister," she defended, poking his chest. "I told you a thousand times to put your dirty clothes in a hamper."

"Well, I do now."

"Didn't I have to remind you of that the other day?"

"I don't think so," he said in an innocent tone.

"You're so full of it, Scott."

"But let's not forget that you love me."

"I think that might've been the hormones talking again," she joked.

"I'd watch it if I were you. Just because you're pregnant does not mean I'm above torturing you."

"You wouldn't."

"Okay, you asked for it."

Haley tried to move back from him, but his grip on her was too strong. "Nathan, don't. My parents might hear—"

"Hear what? This?" His grin was mischievous as he started to tickle her. He didn't touch her stomach. Instead he settled for her neck and under her arms.

Haley busted out laughing but quickly placed a hand over her mouth to prevent any further giggles from erupting. Unfortunately, Nathan wasn't making it that easy.

"Stop," Haley pleaded with a breathless laugh.

"Okay, fine," he relented after a moment.

"I can't believe you'd torture your wife who's carrying your unborn child. What kind of crazy guy did I marry?"

Nathan couldn't help but smirk. "I highly doubt that most people would consider tickling an instrument of torture."

"God, I feel like I'm in high school again," she muttered.

"Why?"

"Because it's the middle of the night and we're over here whispering and trying not to get caught by my sleeping parents."

Nathan stared at her curiously. "And did you have these sleepovers a lot with guys you loved in high school?"

An image of Haley's ex-boyfriend/ex-best friend, Greg, suddenly flashed into his mind. The guy had been in love with her all his life, which had become very clear to Nathan during his first year of marriage to Haley. Greg was a complete ass to him and was always trying to convince Haley to leave him. Nathan never laid a hand on the guy—mostly because he didn't want to upset Haley—but that didn't mean he wasn't tempted to kick his ass. Eventually Haley realized that Greg really didn't have her best interests at heart and finally ended their friendship.

Nathan knew that it had been years since Haley had been friends with Greg—even longer since she'd dated him. He knew that they'd never been intimate seeing as though his wife had been saving herself for marriage. Nathan had been her first—something he'd always treasured and been thankful for. He'd never loved anyone the way he loved Haley. Hell, he'd never been in love at all until he met her. But even if they hadn't slept together, that didn't mean that Haley and Greg couldn't have shared a bed growing up or while they were dating.

Was it bad that it bothered him? The answer was that it shouldn't bother him. Nathan was aware of that. It was so long ago and probably meant nothing. He was with Haley now. That's all that mattered. But for some reason he couldn't explain, he still felt this odd, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

_You're being ridiculous_, he told himself.

"I didn't love anyone in high school," Haley replied. She noticed something pass over her husband's face and watched him carefully. "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah."

"You sure?"

He nodded.

Haley stared at him for another moment before declaring, "You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. I know that look." She moved closer to him and caressed his cheek. "What's bothering you?"

"It's stupid." Her gaze didn't once waver as she urged him to continue. "I just…I had this weird flash of maybe you and Greg in high school. It's nothing."

"Doing what?" Haley prodded.

He felt like such an idiot admitting this. "Having sleepovers and being like we are now."

Haley ran her hand over his shoulder and down his back. "Baby, are you jealous?" she questioned with a small smile.

"No. Maybe." She gave him a look. "Yes—a little."

"You are so adorable," Haley gushed. For all of her husband's confidence and self-assuredness, it amazed her at times just how vulnerable he could be. She knew that he hated feeling exposed, but Haley loved that she was one of the only people that got to see that side of him.

"It's not funny."

"I'm not laughing. I just think it's cute."

"It's not cute either," he objected in a wounded voice.

Haley brought her hand back to his face and guided his lips to hers. "You know that I never loved Greg. And we never had sleepovers or anything like that. So you can rest at ease now."

"What about your other boyfriends?"

"I didn't do anything like that with them either. Just you." Haley bit her lip to keep from laughing as she saw the satisfied smile forming on her husband's face.

"Good. What?" he asked when he noticed her eying him.

A small, quiet giggle erupted from her lips. "I'm sorry. I just find it amusing how we've been married for, like, four years and I'm having your baby and yet you still get jealous of my ex-boyfriends."

He shrugged. "I don't like sharing."

"Gee, I couldn't tell," she quipped. "Besides, between the two of us, I think I'm the one with the least colorful history."

"Hales…"

"I mean, you usually bounced from girl to girl. Four years is a long time to be with someone. Are you sure you're not sick of me yet?"

"Four years is not that long a time. A lifetime is a long time, and that's exactly what I'm going to spend with you," Nathan declared. "And I find it amusing that after everything we've been through and the fact that you are having my baby, you still get jealous of my…"

"Hookups," she supplied.

He frowned. "That wasn't the word I was going to choose."

"But it is the right one."

"Baby, you know well enough by now that they meant nothing and you mean everything. You don't have to be jealous."

"I never said I was jealous," Haley defended. She knew she was a little bit, but it's not like she was going to admit it.

He smirked. "But you are."

"I hate you," she said in a huff.

Nathan pulled her flush against him and nuzzled his nose against hers. "You shouldn't say that. You know how it turns me on," he teased in a low, husky voice.

Saying "I hate you" to each other was just as meaningful as saying "I love you." Even though they'd annoyed the hell out of each other during their first years of college, both had enjoyed their numerous fights. Nathan remembered just how sexy Haley used to look when she was flustered. In fact, that hadn't changed at all.

Nathan smiled when he saw the blush coloring her cheeks.

"Now you're just trying to soften me up," she murmured.

He left a few tender kisses on her lips. "Is it working?"

"Maybe," she whispered and found herself leaning back in toward him.

Nathan's mouth glided over hers as their tongues tangled together. He could already feel his body start to heat up all over again at the contact. He was just about to flip her over when Haley suddenly pulled back.

"Did you hear that?"

Not being deterred, Nathan's lips trailed under her jaw and down her neck. "Hear what?"

"That noise."

"What noise?"

Haley listened intently. Well, as intently as she could. Nathan's kisses and enticing caresses were making it extremely hard to focus. She was just about to forget it and chalk it up to an overactive imagination when she heard it a second time.

"Nathan, I'm serious," Haley said and nudged him.

He begrudgingly stopped his ministrations and looked at her. "What is it?"

"Just listen."

"It's probably Duke."

"He's sleeping. And ssshh." She put her fingers to his mouth.

A minute later, Nathan looked to Haley when he heard the noise. But it was still too soft to make out.

"I told you," she mouthed quietly.

They listened for a few more minutes as the sound gradually got louder. When Haley finally realized what it was, her whole face scrunched up in disgust. "Oh my God."

"No way," Nathan chuckled under his breath.

"Oh my God," Haley repeated, covering her ears and burying her head in Nathan's chest. She hadn't known what the noise was before, but now she did. She let out a strangled groan as the sound of moaning and the shifting of bed springs grew louder.

"And you're worried about us?" he teased.

"That is so wrong." She was going to be scarred for life. She just knew it. What person, no matter what age they are, would want to hear their parents going at it?

"Oh, Jimmy!" Lydia's faint, yet somehow loud-enough voice managed to drift down the hall.

"That's it. I need my iPod. I can't listen to this, or I'm going to be sick," Haley declared. Her parents had done some weird and embarrassing things over the years, but this took the cake.

"Just two more days," Nathan reminded her, as well as himself. "Two more days."

* * *

"This is so awesome!" Bill declared.

Keith smiled in agreement. "No kidding. We can practically smell the players' sweat from here."

"Ew," Brooke mumbled.

"These are damn good seats," Jimmy added.

Haley smiled at her family and friends. They were all at the KeyArena waiting for Nathan's game to begin. She checked her watch. They still had about twenty minutes.

"Why is it I always get stuck paying for things?" Lucas questioned as he made his way down the aisle with a tray of food. Jake was right behind him carrying the rest.

"Because you're just so sweet, Broody," Brooke beamed.

"Or because the others are too cheap," Karen commented and looked at Keith pointedly.

"Well, I'll spring for dessert," Andy offered.

"These nachos look so good," Peyton mumbled, licking her lips.

Brooke grabbed a couple for herself. "You're not having anything, Tutor Mom?"

"I'm going to pass for right now. My stomach finally stopped doing somersaults today, so I don't really want to push it."

"Haley Bop, are you okay?" Vivian murmured so only she could hear.

"I'm fine."

"You look tired."

"Well, I didn't get much sleep last night or the night before."

Vivian smiled suggestively. "Nathan keeping you up?"

"I wish," Haley muttered and blushed despite herself.

"I'm going to tell you what you told me. Forget about how sick you are and just focus on the little bundle of joy you're going to have once it's all over."

"It's not that either."

Her sister's brow furrowed. "Then what's the matter?"

Luckily Haley was only sitting next to Vivian. Everyone was spread out along the rest of their row. She still took a moment to make sure no one would overhear her. "Mom and Dad were a little loud the last couple of nights."

"Why?" Vivian briefly turned to shout a couple of seats down to her husband. "Bill, make sure Dee doesn't get that pizza sauce all over herself."

He had a napkin in his hand. "Already a step ahead of you, honey."

Haley gave her sister a meaningful look when she turned back to her. "Why else would someone be loud in the middle of the night, Viv?"

"Oh," she replied, getting it. "Ew!"

"I know."

"Are you trying to make me sick?"

"How do you think I felt? I mean, Nathan just put a pillow over his head, but I had to break out my iPod. I couldn't stand it."

"I've never heard them at my house."

"I guess Nathan and I were just lucky, then."

"I guess so." She smiled wryly. "Make sure you burn the sheets."

"Viv!" Haley admonished and nudged her.

"I'm just saying."

"Okay, what are the two of you whispering about and why are we not in on it?" Brooke questioned.

"Nothing of any importance."

"Then why are you whispering," Peyton pointed out.

"You don't want to know. Trust me," Vivian replied.

"And why are you all the way at the end? Come sit next to me," Brooke suggested.

"I'm waiting for Lindsey."

"Who's Lindsey again?"

"She's a friend of mine. She's dating Nathan's teammate Tony."

"Oh."

Haley glanced behind her. "Oh, here she comes now." She waved the blonde over.

"Hey, Haley," Lindsey greeted once she reached her.

Haley stood up to give her a hug. "Hi. How was your Christmas?"

"It was great. We had a lot of fun. You?"

"Likewise. Although, as you can see, everyone is still here."

"Wow, you weren't kidding about the big family."

"Nope. Let me introduce you," Haley said and went down the row, listing everyone off.

"Wow, that's a mouthful," Lindsey joked when Haley was finished. "It's nice to meet you all."

The gang all formed greetings and waved in response. Lindsey took a seat next to Haley afterward.

"You guys look so cute," Brooke commented. "Were those specially made?"

Haley and Lindsey looked down at their outfits. They were wearing miniature sizes of their guys' jerseys.

"Yes. Tony and Nathan had them made for us," Lindsey answered. "We try to wear them at every game."

"And when we don't, I always try to wear something from Clothes Over Bro's," Haley added.

Brooke's entire face lit up. "Good girl."

"I wear it, too. I love your stuff," Lindsey spoke up.

"Thank you!"

"I think you just made her night," Peyton joked.

"Hey, look, guys. We're on the jumbotron," Lucas told them.

It scanned across their row before landing on Lucas and Brooke. Haley figured the media would get a kick out of Lucas being at Nathan's game—with them being brothers and sometimes rivals. The picture then shifted over to her and Lindsey. They waved at the cameras like they always did, and the crowd cheered.

"Well, look at that. Who knew my little sister would be so popular," Vivian teased.

Haley rolled her eyes. "Shut up." Everyone knew by now that she was Nathan's wife and attended almost all of the games.

The lights flickered and lowered a moment later, signaling that the teams and players were about to be announced. They started with the visiting team. But it wasn't until the home team started to step onto the court that the cheers in the arena exploded. Nathan's number and name were called. His face appeared on the large screen, along with some of his stats.

Haley and the rest of the group shouted for him. He glanced their way briefly and smiled.

"Oh, he looks even more handsome in his uniform," Lydia called to Haley. "Jimmy, get the camera. I can't wait to show this to the neighbors back home. The women are always bragging about their daughters' husbands. What a bunch of losers. They're going to die when I show them a close-up of Nathan in action."

Haley and Vivian exchanged amused looks and shook their heads. Their mother was being her usual self.

After the announcing was complete, the lights returned and both teams took their positions on the court. The game was finally going to begin.

* * *

"God, I'm so nervous," Haley muttered as she fiddled with her wedding ring.

Brooke leaned over and gave her arm a squeeze. "It's going to be okay, Haley."

"What the hell was that? Are you blind, ref?" Jake shouted.

Haley put her head in her hands. She didn't know how much more of this game she could watch. She was on edge the whole night. The game was close between the Sonics and the Heats. Too close. But that's not what was bothering Haley. What was bothering her was the fact that there seemed to be one player that had been targeting Nathan all night. He'd been unnecessarily rough and even fouled Nathan a couple of times. It amazed her how calmly her husband was handling the situation seeing as though she was about two seconds away from marching down onto the court and giving that other jackass a piece of her mind.

"Damn, what the hell is that guy's problem?" Jimmy exclaimed.

"Will you please tone it down?" Peyton told the guys.

"It's okay, Haley. The game is almost over," Lindsey soothed.

Haley sighed and tried to calm herself down. Stress surely wasn't good for the baby. Lindsey was right; the game was almost over, and Nathan seemed to be doing okay. All Haley had to get through was the next fifteen seconds.

* * *

"All we have to do is get through the next fifteen seconds," Coach Brooks declared. "We only need one more basket to win. I know that Jerome is gunning for you, Nathan, but I need you to end this."

"I can do it, Coach," Nathan promised. It had been a tough game, but there was no way that he was about to lose to that punk Jerome. The guy was nothing more than a bitter cry baby who never could handle the pressure.

"Tony, Shaun, clear the way for him."

"Got it, Coach," Tony replied.

Coach Brooks held his hand out. "Sonics win on three." They all placed their hands in the circle. "One, two, three…"

"Sonics win!" they shouted together. Nathan and his four teammates made their way back onto the court.

"Me, you, fifteen seconds and one basket, Scott," Jerome said as he passed by them. "That sound familiar?"

"Yeah, but only one tiny difference: Unlike you, I won't choke," Nathan taunted. He smirked when he saw the fire in Jerome's eyes. That would teach him a lesson.

"Don't worry about him. Just get us that basket. You ready, Big Time?" Tony held out his fist.

Nathan bumped it with his own. "Let's do this."

* * *

"Come on, baby, you can do this," Haley muttered under her breath.

"Let's go, Nate. Shut him down," Lucas yelled. Jake, Bill, and the other guys grunted in agreement.

Haley watched with her stomach in knots as Nathan maneuvered around the person guarding him and got hold of the ball. He made it a few feet before he was double teamed—one of the guys being that Jerome jerk. He then threw the ball to Tony.

Tony got a little bit farther before passing the ball back to a now wide open Nathan. It seemed as if the whole stadium had sucked in a sharp, anxious breath as they anticipated Nathan's next move. He barreled down the court with the ball in his hands. Jerome was right behind him, but it was too late. Nathan had already reached the basket and jumped up to slam dunk the ball into the net.

The crowd went wild. Everyone in the stadium stood up from their seats and started cheering at the sound of the buzzer, signifying the end of the game and the Sonics' victory.

"Yeah, Nathan!" Haley bellowed.

Nathan hugged his teammates before his gaze glanced at his cheering family and friends. Finally his eyes met hers, and he smiled. Haley was just about to blow him a kiss when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Her gaze shifted to the left just in time to see Jerome charging at him.

Haley's eyes widened in panic. She opened her mouth to scream something, but the words seemed to be stuck in her throat. Noticing the stricken look on her face, Nathan frowned. Since words failed her, Haley started pointing and trying to get him to see what was coming.

But it was too late. Nathan had barely begun to turn when Jerome tackled him. They both fell on the ground with Jerome landing on top of him. Haley couldn't quite make out what happened or how Nathan landed, but she knew it was bad. Because although Jerome got up afterward, Nathan didn't.


	10. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, thanks so much for your reviews last chapter. I enjoyed reading your comments. I hope you like this next one. I did a lot of research for the content in this chapter. I wanted to be as accurate as possible, but I'm not a medical professional. So I apologize if there are any mistakes. Also, I'll be going on vacation next week and will not have access to the internet. If I have time, I'll try to post Chapter 10 later on this week before I leave on Saturday. Until then, please read and review. Thanks!

* * *

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**Chapter 9**

"Haley, honey, why don't you sit down?"

Haley shook her head at her mother's suggestion. "I don't want to."

"Just for a—"

"I don't want to," she snapped. Seeing the concerned and wounded look on her mother's face, Haley instantly regretted her harshness. She could feel the eyes of her other family and friends on her, as well.

"I'm sorry," Haley apologized. "I'm just a little worked up at the moment."

The last time she saw Nathan was in the ambulance on their way to the hospital. He'd been in a lot of pain. Since then he'd been in the emergency room as Haley waited with everyone else outside. Needless to say, she was really on edge at the moment. She couldn't stop the worst-case scenarios from replaying over in her head.

"It's going to be okay, Haley," Lucas soothed. He got up from his seat and pulled her into a hug. Haley rested her head on his chest and tried to calm her nerves. The stress couldn't be good for the baby.

"I'm going to get something to drink," Brooke declared. "Does anyone want anything?"

"I'll go with you," Peyton offered. Almost everyone requested some coffee.

"Haley?"

"No thank you, Brooke."

"We'll be right back," Peyton stated.

Haley stayed in Lucas's embrace. She didn't know how much time had passed, but it felt like a while before Brooke and Peyton returned.

"Tutor Mom, I got you something. Just in case," Brooke quickly added.

Haley gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

"Mrs. Scott."

Haley's head snapped up at the sound of the nurse's voice. "Yes?"

"You can see your husband now."

"What about us?" Deb spoke up.

"A few of you can go in at a time afterward. But the doctor just wants to speak with her right now."

Lucas gave Haley's arm an encouraging squeeze. She stepped out of his embrace and quickly followed after the nurse. The woman led her down a long corridor before motioning for her to enter one of the rooms.

"Nathan," Haley said, relieved when she saw him. She practically sprinted to his bedside.

"Hi, baby," he whispered as they hugged. He held her close and ran his hand gently through her hair. She looked so stressed.

"I was so worried."

"It's okay. I'm okay," Nathan soothed. He wiped away a stray tear and added jokingly, "I'm going to live."

Haley gave him a timid smile before kissing his lips. "You were in a lot of pain in the ambulance. Do they know what's wrong?"

"They ran some tests, but I haven't heard anything yet. It's definitely something with my left knee, though."

"That stupid bastard," Haley muttered. If that jackass Jerome was here right now, he'd be in more need of a stretcher than Nathan.

As infuriated as Nathan was at Jerome for being a sore loser and putting him in this situation, he had to smirk at Haley's choice of words. It was very rare that she swore like that. He usually did it enough for the two of them.

"So, you're Mrs. Scott, I presume," a man stated while walking into the room. Judging by his white coat and nametag, Haley assumed that he was the doctor.

"Yes."

"I'm Dr. Kelson," he introduced himself and shook her hand. "I have your husband's test results."

Nathan pushed over on the bed so Haley could take a seat next to him. He could feel his stomach twisting into knots as he awaited the sure to be bad news. His knee had been killing him for the last two hours. Nathan couldn't remember the last time he'd been in such pain, which he'd tried to downplay in front of Haley. She was worried enough. But in his mind, Nathan knew that this wasn't just some minor injury. He could feel the dread building within him.

Haley took Nathan's hand in hers as they waited for the doctor to continue.

"How bad is it?" Nathan prompted.

Dr. Kelson was quiet for a moment. "You have a torn ACL, Mr. Scott."

"What exactly is an ACL?" Haley noticed Nathan wince at the news and knew that this couldn't be good.

"ACL stands for anterior cruciate ligament. It's what controls the movement of your lower leg bone. It limits the side-to-side rotation of your lower leg and prevents the shin bone from moving too far forward in respect to the knee."

"And it's torn."

"Yes. It's a common injury among athletes." Dr. Kelson opened a file and placed a set of images over the light on the wall.

"Are those x-rays?" Nathan questioned.

"No. These are the MRI images that we took. It's kind of hard to see an ACL tear with an x-ray. Although we did take an x-ray to see if any bones were broken. Luckily there weren't."

"So what are we looking at?" Haley inquired.

"This is the image of his knee. And this dark area right here," he stated, pointing in between the bones, "is the tear. When you fell, Mr. Scott, you landed in a very awkward position. I'm sure you felt or even heard some kind of a pop."

"Yeah, I felt it," Nathan muttered, remembering the searing pain that had ripped through him.

Haley glanced over at him worriedly.

"When the knee suddenly changes directions with that kind of force, it can cause the tear."

"So what does this mean? Will it heal?" Haley spoke up.

"What about basketball?" Nathan interjected. He could feel his dread building further.

"I can't lie to you. This isn't a minor injury. And seeing as though you are a professional athlete, this is very serious," Dr. Kelson explained. "There are surgical and non-surgical treatments. Based on the extent of the injury, I believe you'll probably have to get some kind of surgery. But I advise you to see your own physician first to discuss what would be best. I'm just an emergency room doctor, so it's not like I know your case or history all that well. However, I can tell you that your season, Mr. Scott, is over. You're going to have to stay off of that knee."

Nathan rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair. "Great."

Haley squeezed his hand and ran the other one along his arm. It was obvious that Nathan was upset. He had every right to be. His whole season was ruined and his career quite possibly in jeopardy—all because of some asshole with a vendetta against him.

"I'm sorry," Dr. Kelson commented after a moment.

"What do we do now?" Haley questioned.

"Well, we're going to wrap that knee for him. We're also giving him some medication for the pain until he sees his doctor. You're going to need to keep that knee elevated. And be sure to ice it for twenty minutes every two hours," he instructed. "I'll have the nurse write down the instructions for that and the medication before you go."

"So he can come home tonight?"

"Yes. I don't see a problem with that. He'll need crutches, though."

Nathan sighed loudly. He felt like he was trapped in some kind of nightmare. This couldn't be happening.

"Thank you for all your help, Dr. Kelson," Haley said.

"Sure. Let me send the nurse back in and get everything ready for you."

"Thank you." Once he left, she faced Nathan. "I know this is a stupid question, but are you okay?"

Nathan glanced at the clock on the wall and laughed humorlessly. It was only a couple of minutes past midnight.

Haley watched him, concerned. "What?"

"Happy New Year."

* * *

Nathan flipped through the channels on the flat screen TV, bored out of his mind. There was nothing good on. He hated being stuck in bed, unable to get up. Sure, he had his crutches. But it's not like Haley or his mom would let him stand, let alone use them.

He sighed in frustration and felt Duke lick his hand. Nathan patted his head and began his second round of channel surfing. _Crap, crap, crap, crap…no way in hell am I watching that again_. He really needed to call the cable company and buy some more channels. Duke lifted his head off of the bed and looked toward the door. It took a few seconds before Nathan heard the set of footsteps coming up the stairs. Haley walked into the bedroom carrying a tray of food in her hands.

"Lunchtime," she announced.

"I'm not that hungry," he muttered and stared at the TV.

"Well, you're eating it anyway." Haley placed the tray across his lap. "I brought some ice for your knee. How is it?"

"It hurts."

"Do you need some more pain medication?" She looked at the clock. "You're due to take some again."

Nathan sat up so he could eat. He'd barely moved his leg, but pain shot up it anyway. He flinched.

"I'll get it," Haley said knowingly. She placed the ice on his knee and adjusted the pillow under it before heading to the bathroom.

Nathan looked down at the food she brought him. It was a big turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise—his favorite. She also gave him a bag of Doritos, a glass of milk, and a piece of pie that they still had in the fridge from Christmas dinner. Haley had frozen most of the leftovers so they wouldn't go bad. Suddenly his stomach was growling. Maybe he was hungry after all.

Haley walked back into the room and handed him the pill. "Here you go."

"Thanks." He washed it down with a swig of milk before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"You want some company?" she asked.

"Yeah. Get up, Duke," he ordered the dog. Duke gave him a sad face before moving.

Haley crouched down and petted him. "You do know that the only reason you were up there is because Daddy's not feeling well, right?" she told him. There were very few times that the dog was allowed on their bed. Usually it was when one of them was sick in bed all day, alone, while the other had to work. Or the occasional night when Haley was by herself and missed Nathan more than usual.

Duke just continued to nuzzle her, trying to get back into her good graces. Like usual, it worked. She smiled at him and then sat on the bed next to Nathan. She noticed that he was almost done with his sandwich. "I thought you weren't hungry."

He shrugged. "I guess I was wrong."

"What are you watching?"

"I don't even know."

"You mind if I find something?"

"No, go ahead."

Haley clicked through the channels. She noticed a basketball game was on but knew better than to choose that. Considering what Nathan had just been through, it was probably the last thing he wanted to see. She scanned some more and landed on the _E!_ Channel. She changed that one quickly, too, when they showed a replay of what happened between Nathan and Jerome last night. It was all over the damn news.

"I'm sorry," Haley apologized.

Nathan sighed and took her hand. "It's not your fault."

"I unplugged the phone. Maybe you can get some more sleep. You had a long night." The press had been calling nonstop all day. Haley didn't even know how that was possible, seeing as though their number wasn't listed.

"You need to sleep, too."

"I will later."

"Come here." Haley cuddled into his side as he pulled her close. "Are you hungry?"

"I already had something with your mom."

"Is she still here?"

"No, she went to the airport with Andy to see him off."

Their family and friends were supposed to leave Seattle today. They didn't want to leave after what had just happened, but they all had to get back to work tomorrow now that the holidays were over. And Haley refused to let everyone change their plans.

Besides, Nathan was upset and it's not like he wanted a lot of people fussing over him. So just Deb ended up staying, which worked out well. Haley had to go back to work, too, and it's not like she could leave Nathan alone all day in his condition. Although she was taking tomorrow off. Nathan had his doctor's appointment, and she couldn't not be there. Then she had her first doctor's appointment for the baby on Friday. That was another day she was taking off. With everything that had happened, Haley knew it was going to be a crazy week.

"You should eat." Haley made a move to get up, but Nathan still held her tightly.

"It's fine. Stay. I can eat with one hand, you know."

"If you're sure."

"I'm positive." Nathan kissed her forehead and rubbed her arm. He just needed to touch her. He'd been on edge all day.

Nathan kept thinking about Jerome and his injury. It replayed over and over in his mind, making his fury start to bubble over. He couldn't believe the stunt that son of a bitch had pulled. It didn't help that it was all over the news, entertainment channels, and sports networks. Haley always had this way of keeping him calm. That's exactly what Nathan needed right now.

Haley's eyes had just started to close when she heard Duke whine from his spot on the floor. He was obviously sad and feeling left out. Haley rolled her eyes. "Oh, all right." She motioned for Duke to jump up. "Come on, boy."

He hopped onto the bed and rested on the other side of Haley. She stroked him lazily with one hand and closed her eyes again. Nathan's own caresses were putting her to sleep. She'd just started to drift off when a loud knock sounded on the door downstairs.

Haley's eyes snapped open before she made a move to get up. She could hear Nathan sigh as he released her. "It's probably your mom. She doesn't have a key."

"Well, let her in. Then come back to bed. You look exhausted, Hales."

Haley nodded and left the room. She went downstairs and walked to the door. She looked through the small peek hole to see who it was. When she recognized the handsome face with spiky, sandy blond hair, Haley sighed in relief and quickly opened the door to let him in.

"Thank God you're here."

"How is he, Haley? How are you? You look tired." Clay pulled her into a hug. "I came as soon as I heard."

"He's doing okay for right now. He's in pain and, as you can imagine, pretty pissed off." Haley was so glad that Clay was back. He would know the best way to handle all of this.

"Can I see him?"

"Sure. He's upstairs."

"You mind if I drop my luggage here. I came straight from the airport."

"Don't worry about it." Haley led him upstairs to the bedroom. "Nathan, you have a visitor."

Nathan smirked. "Nice tan."

"You see, this is why I hate taking vacations. I'm gone for two weeks and all hell breaks loose," he joked as they hugged.

"You didn't have to cut your vacation short, you know."

"You're kidding, right? I get a message from Haley that you were in the hospital, your coach calls, and some other bigwig from one of the company's you're endorsing, along with a dozen other calls from the press, and you think I'm going to stay in Hawaii? Not a chance in hell, Nate."

"Here." Haley grabbed the chair from her vanity and pulled it close to the bed.

Clay took a seat. "Thanks."

Haley removed the ice pack from Nathan's leg and adjusted his pillow again. She then took a seat next to him and across from Clay on the edge of the bed.

"So, I saw the clip on TV. But what exactly happened?"

"Basically, I beat that loser's ass, he charged at me, and I landed on the ground with that jackass on top of me in a position that totally fucked up my knee."

"How bad is it?"

"I've got a torn ACL."

Clay ran a hand through his hair. "Shit."

"And the rest of my season is over."

"I knew Jerome was a prick, but that's low—even for him."

"Have you heard anything else about him?" Haley questioned. "I mean, shouldn't he get penalized or thrown out of the league for something like that?"

"Well, I talked with one of the league's officials. They're suspending Jerome for the rest of the season."

"That's it?" Nathan scoffed.

"Hey, if it was up to me, I'd throw his ass out. It's not his first indiscretion. But I don't make the rules."

"That's not fair," Haley said, outraged. Jerome's little stunt was the very definition of unsportsmanlike behavior.

"I know. But on the bright side, he won't get to finish the season either, and I have no doubt that he's going to lose millions of dollars in endorsement deals. No one will want him after something like this."

"But he's not the one on crutches and who might need surgery."

Clay looked to Nathan. "You need surgery?"

"Probably. I don't know for sure yet. I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Clay, what are we supposed to do now?" Haley inquired. "The media is all over this. I had to unplug the phone. Somehow they got our number."

"I already talked to Nathan's coach. He's going to hold a press conference this afternoon to kind of set some things straight. We're also going to put out a statement of our own to hold them off," Clay explained. "Now I can handle that. All you two need to do is go to the doctor's tomorrow and take care of that knee. We'll see what he says and go from there. Okay?"

Nathan and Haley looked at each other and nodded.

"Okay. Good."

"What about the endorsement deals?" Nathan questioned. "You said one of the guys called you."

"We won't even worry about that now."

"Am I going to lose the shoe contract and all of that?"

"One step at a time, Nate. If you're going to make a full recovery, then it'll be fine."

"And if he doesn't?" Haley spoke up.

"Then we'll deal with that when it happens. But no matter what, I'm going to look out for you. The both of you. I've got your backs."

"Thanks, Clay," Nathan said.

"It's what I do, man."

"Thank you," Haley added sincerely.

He nodded in response. "Well, not to be rude, but I do have some phone calls to make. So I should probably head out. I'll call or check in later and let you know what's going on."

"Okay."

"Before I go, is there anything else I need to know?" he asked.

Nathan and Haley exchanged another look.

"Well…" Nathan trailed off.

Clay glanced between them. "There's not a sex tape, is there?"

Haley instantly turned red. "No!"

He laughed. "Just checking. It seems like everybody has them these days."

"We're not that stupid," Nathan replied with a roll of his eyes.

"So what is it?"

"I'm pregnant," Haley finally announced.

"Well, I was right about the sex part," he joked.

"Clay!"

"You're a pain in the ass sometimes, you know that?" Nathan chuckled, shaking of his head. "And if I were you, I wouldn't make her mad."

"I already know she's a little spitfire."

"Add hormones on to that and she's even scarier."

"Got it."

"Um, hello! Crazy, pregnant, hormonal wife sitting right here," Haley announced with her hands on her hips.

"And that's my cue." Clay stood up and headed for the door. He turned around briefly to face them again. "Congratulations, by the way. I'm really happy for you guys."

"Thanks. Now get to work."

"I'm going, I'm going." He left the room, only to pop his head back in. "Oh, I forgot to mention, any chance you'd want to go on _The View _for an interview? I got this offer—"

"No!"

Clay laughed. "I'll tell Barbara that's a no, then."


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_**January 2, 2012**_

"Why don't you sit down while I check us in," Haley suggested. "Do you need help?"

Nathan glanced around the waiting room of the doctor's office. He could feel everyone's gazes on him. "No. I got it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." He placed his crutches in front of him and used them to help lower himself into the seat. Meanwhile, Haley walked to the front desk.

"Name?" the secretary asked.

"Nathan Scott. He has an appointment for nine thirty. We're a little early."

She typed away on the computer. "You're all set."

"Thank you."

"Such a shame," the woman mumbled.

Haley frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"What happened at the game," she clarified. "My husband and sons are big Sonics fans. They thought it was terrible what that other guy did. Very unsportsmanlike. He should be thrown out of the league."

"I wish. He was suspended for the rest of the season."

"I heard that on the news."

"Yeah, well, what can you do?"

"Are you Mr. Scott's wife?"

"Yes."

"I hope everything works out for him."

Haley gave her a small smile. "You and me both."

"Someone will be out shortly."

"Thank you."

"What took so long?" Nathan inquired as Haley sat down next to him.

"Oh, she just had a question," she replied. "She also said that someone would see us soon."

"Good. I can't take this staring."

Haley looked around the room and noticed that Nathan was right. The other patients were gawking at them. One of them was even reading a magazine with a picture of an injured Nathan on the front cover.

Haley patted his arm and picked up a magazine of her own. It was about traveling. She flipped through the pages. Every now and then she'd show Nathan a picture of some beautiful and exotic location.

"Maybe we should take a trip somewhere," Haley said offhandedly. She couldn't remember the last time they'd gone on a nice vacation. It had to be at least two years ago.

"I'm injured and you're pregnant. Yeah, now's the perfect time," he muttered, his tone sarcastic. "We'll have loads of fun."

Haley sighed softly and chose to ignore his comment. He was in a bad mood—not that she could blame him. She just continued to look through the magazine. It was a few minutes later that a nurse walked out and called Nathan's name.

Haley waited patiently for Nathan to grab his crutches. She helped him stand up and steady himself before they followed the nurse.

The woman led them into an examining room. "You can have a seat on the table, Mr. Scott. Do you need some help?"

"No, I've got it." He placed the crutches aside and lifted himself onto the surface, careful not to bend his knee.

"Okay. You'll need to change into that gown. The doctor will be with you shortly."

"Thank you," Haley said

"What's with all of this 'shortly' crap?" he murmured after the nurse left. "Everyone knows you end up waiting for at least an hour."

Haley ran a hand through her hair. "Nathan, I know that you're in pain and not in the best of moods right now, but can you please not have an attitude when the doctor walks in here?"

"I don't have an attitude," he argued while taking off his shirt. "I'm just saying."

Haley chose not to say anything further. She helped Nathan get changed before taking a seat next to the table and crossing her legs. Her cell phone went off a second later.

"Crap." She was supposed to shut it off in the office.

"Who is it?"

"Brooke." Haley sent the call to voicemail and turned her phone off. "I told her and Lucas that you were having your appointment today. I'll call them back later."

A knock sounded on the door. "Hello, Nathan. Haley," Dr. Vernon greeted. He was a short, balding man who happened to be the best sports medicine doctor in the state. Nathan had been seeing him ever since they'd moved to Seattle.

"Hi," Nathan and Haley replied.

He opened up Nathan's chart in his hand. "I know you've had a rough weekend. How are you feeling today?"

"Like I got tackled and tore my ACL."

Dr. Vernon nodded. "I saw that game. Jerome should've been expelled for that maneuver, never mind suspended."

"So everyone says."

"Well, I've looked over the test results and notes from the doctor in the ER. I want to do an examination of my own, and then we'll see what the best course of treatment is to take. Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah. I just want to know what I'm facing."

"All right. Well, let's take a look at that knee." Dr. Vernon opened a drawer and grabbed a pair of scissors. He cut the wrappings off. "Have you been icing it?"

"Yes. We've been doing it for twenty minutes every two hours—just like the other doctor said," Haley answered.

"Good. The swelling doesn't look as bad as it could be. Nathan, I need you to lay on your back for me." Nathan did as Dr. Vernon instructed. "Okay. Now I'm going to need to bend your left knee. Make sure you keep your foot flat on the table. I imagine that it's still sore, so it might hurt a little."

Nathan nodded, bracing himself.

"I need to know a couple of things. When the injury first happened, did you feel or hear your knee pop?" he asked while lowering Nathan's leg slowly.

"Yes, I felt it."

"How swollen was it afterward?"

"It was pretty bad. They had to take some fluid out at the hospital to get a better look."

"And you can't walk on it at all, correct?"

"No, I can't. Ow!"

Haley cringed as Nathan winced in pain.

"It's definitely torn all right," Dr. Vernon stated. "You see how your leg is moving past your knee. There's no firm endpoint."

"Yeah."

"You can sit up now."

"Is that really bad?" Haley asked.

"That's common for an ACL injury. I just needed to see how it moved," the doctor explained.

Nathan sat up. "So, do I need surgery?"

"Yes. There are some people who can do nonsurgical rehabilitation. But that's mostly for partial tears. And you're a professional athlete, Nathan. Your knee needs to be fully healed and able to withstand strenuous physical activity," Dr. Vernon said. "Surgery is the only option."

"What exactly does this surgery entail?" Haley spoke up.

"The ACL reconstruction surgery is very common. I do it all of the time for my various patients. What we'll do is take a piece of tendon from another part of Nathan's leg and connect it to the thigh bone and shin bone. It's called an autograft."

"Then what?" Nathan prompted.

"Then you'll take some time to heal and enter into a rehabilitation program. That usually lasts between seven and nine months."

"Nine months?"

"Some people are completely healed and ready in six months. It all depends. The important thing is that you don't push yourself too soon. You don't want to injure yourself again or make it worse," Dr. Vernon explained. "But I have no doubts that you'll be ready by next season—if you play it smart."

"And when would he be operated on?" Haley questioned.

"Not for several weeks. The knee needs time to cool down. You want the least amount of inflammation and irritation as possible. It'll be better for the knee post operation."

Nathan sighed and rubbed his eyes. He knew that it would take time for the surgery and healing process, but he never thought it'd be this long.

"I know that it's a lot to take in right now. But the important thing to remember is that the more responsible we are now, the better it will be for you in the long term."

Haley nodded. "We understand."

"Will I make a full recovery?" Nathan asked.

"As long as you do everything you're supposed to, I don't see why not," he answered. "Do either of you have any other questions?"

"Um, he's been in a lot of pain these last couple of days. Will he still need to take something for that until the surgery?" Haley spoke up.

"I can give him a prescription. But there are also over-the-counter painkillers that he can take that aren't as strong. We don't want to overdo it."

"Okay."

Dr. Vernon wrote something down in Nathan's chart before looking up at them, once again. "I'll get that ready for you. Nathan, you can change back into your clothes. On your way out, you can schedule another appointment. We'll check out that knee again and go over the prep for the surgery. I'll have the office call you soon with some dates available for the actual operation."

"Thank you, Dr. Vernon," Nathan said.

"You're welcome. Just keep doing what you've been doing. Add the ice as needed and rest up that knee."

Haley stood up. "We will."

Dr. Vernon shook both their hands and left.

Haley walked up to Nathan and grabbed his jeans. "Let's get you dressed."

Nathan was completely silent as Haley helped him put his clothes back on. She knew that he was mulling over everything the doctor had just told him.

"You're clenching your jaw," she pointed out while running a finger along it. "You know you're going to break your teeth one of these days."

He gave her a small smile. She was always saying that to him.

"Hey, you heard what he said. You can make a full recovery, Nathan. It's not hopeless. You'll get basketball back eventually."

"I know. It's just that I wanted to make it to the playoffs so badly this season. We could've done it. I know it. Now it's all shot to hell. I feel like I'm letting everyone down."

"Nathan." She lifted his head and forced him to meet her eyes. "This is not your fault. The coach, your teammates, and the fans all know that. Why do you think everyone is rallying behind you?"

"It's my contract year, too, Hales," he added. "What if the Sonics don't want me after this? What if they think I'm damaged goods and decide to trade me or give me a lesser deal?"

"That is not going to happen. Clay would never let it. You are a vital part of that team. And not to sound stuck up, but they sucked before you came along. They'd be crazy to let you go."

"I just…"

"Let's take one day at a time, okay?" Haley suggested. "What do you always tell me? There's no use getting worked up over things that haven't happened yet."

"You're right," Nathan agreed. He was getting ahead of himself and overreacting. He needed to focus on the here and now. The rest he could deal with when he had to.

Haley smiled confidently. "Of course I'm right."

Nathan smirked and grabbed his crutches. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

"So you're definitely going to need surgery?"

"Yup."

"I'm sorry, Nate."

"I figured as much." Nathan shifted the phone to his other ear. He was sitting on the couch and watching TV while talking to Lucas. "I just didn't anticipate how long the recovery would be."

"It's a pretty big operation. You're going to need time to heal and recuperate."

"I know. It still sucks, though."

"You'll get through it," he assured him before adding, "I had an interview today. Guess what I was asked?"

"Why the Knicks have no depth in the back court." He smirked when he heard Lucas groan.

"No, smartass."

"I'm just stating a fact."

"How would you like your other knee broken?"

Nathan's laugh faltered. "So not funny. And it's not broken; it's torn."

"Whatever."

"Just get to the point, Pucas," he urged.

"I was asked how my brother was doing and if he was ever going to reveal the state of his condition," Lucas said. "The secrecy and not knowing is driving everyone crazy."

"I'm sure it is."

"So what's your plan of attack? You know the press isn't going to let this go."

"I don't know yet. I only just had my appointment this morning. Clay's coming over in an hour to talk over some options."

"How's Haley holding up?"

"She's okay. Mostly tired. She's sleeping upstairs right now."

"It's a good thing your mom stayed then."

"Yeah. Haley hasn't been feeling well with the pregnancy and all. And it's not like I can move all that well. I don't want her to keep waiting on me."

"You know that Brooke and I would've stayed if we could but we—"

"I understand, Luke. You guys are busy. Neither Haley nor I expect you guys to just drop everything."

"Still, Brooke and I both wish there was more we could do."

"It's fine. Haley and I were just happy that you and the others could visit us for the holidays."

"Anyone else call in to check on you?"

"Pretty much everyone," Nathan replied.

"Well, we're all behind you. You know that, right?"

"Of course."

"Nathan," Haley called as she came down the stairs.

"I gotta go, Luke," he stated. "Haley's up."

"Okay. Keep me posted on what you decide. My agent and I are fending off the media as best we can."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Feel better, little brother."

"Bye, Luke."

"Bye."

"Who was that?"

Nathan looked over to see Haley making her way toward him. "Lucas. He just wanted to see how my appointment went and all that."

"Crap. I forgot to call Brooke," Haley muttered. "And Peyton. And my sister."

"Your parents called an hour ago, too."

"Great." Haley had been so tired all day. Deb had promised to keep an eye on Nathan while she took a little nap. She was only supposed to sleep for an hour, but somehow it had turned into three.

"You can do it later," Nathan said when he saw her yawn. "You still tired?"

"A little," she admitted. "I don't even know how that's possible."

"Sit down. Watch some TV with me."

"I can't. I have to make dinner."

"Don't worry about it. My mom went out to pick up some food."

"What!" Haley exclaimed. "She was supposed to stay here and watch you."

"Haley, I don't need a babysitter. I can actually get up if I need to."

"The doctor wants you to stay off of that knee. If you move around too much you'll just put more stress on it."

"I'm fine."

"You're staying put, mister," she declared.

"Haley, I—" She gave him a stern look. "I won't move. Promise," he relented.

"Good. Thank you."

"Now will you sit down?"

Haley mulled it over. "Well, I do have to go over my lesson plans for tomorrow." It would be her first day back to work after the holidays.

"Do it on the couch."

"With the TV on?"

"You can multi-task."

"Nathan…"

"Please?" He gave her his best sexy pout.

Haley recognized his expression instantly. "That's not fair."

"I'm alone and stranded on the couch, Hales. It gets boring fast."

"If you can't get through today, how are you going to survive the next several weeks?"

"Video games?"

"It's nice to know that if you can't exercise your body, you'll be doing so with your mind," she quipped.

"Exactly."

Haley shook her head and laughed. "Give me a minute." She went upstairs to her office and grabbed her lesson plan book. She smiled when Nathan lowered the volume of the TV as she came downstairs.

Haley laid down on the couch with a pillow propping up her head. She bent her legs so that they overlapped Nathan's thighs without touching them. He was sore, and she didn't want to risk putting more pressure on his leg.

Nathan glanced at Haley and noticed that she was already reading her lesson intently. He returned his attention to the TV—but not before bringing his hand to her leg. He slid it underneath the fabric of her sweat pants and started to caress the soft, smooth skin of her calf.

Haley's breath caught for a moment in surprise. She then relaxed into his touch and continued reading. She didn't know how much time passed, but eventually she finished reviewing her lesson plan. Haley tossed the book on the coffee table and closed her eyes. Despite her nap, she was still pretty tired. And Nathan's hands were only serving to relax her and lull her more into sleep.

She felt herself just about to nod off again when there was a sudden knock on the door. Haley's eyes snapped open, and she sat up.

"I'll—" Nathan began.

"You promised not to move, remember?" she interjected and stood up. Haley walked to the door and answered it.

"Hey, look who I ran into on my way here," Clay stated with a big brown bag in his hands. Behind him was Deb with what was most likely the rest of their dinner.

"Seeing as though you've come bearing food, enter on in," Haley teased.

"I see how it is," he mocked.

"It smells like Chinese."

"You would be correct," Deb said.

"Great. I'm starved," Nathan declared as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Nathan!" Haley exclaimed. "What did I just say? You're not supposed to move."

"I gotta eat," he excused.

"I would've let you eat on the couch."

"I've been sitting there for hours. I needed a change of scenery."

Haley shook her head and muttered under her breath, "I don't know what I'm going to do with him."

Clay chuckled as he helped unpack the food. "It's nice to see that you're keeping off of that knee, Nate."

"Shut up, man. I'm on crutches."

Deb pulled out a seat for him. "You sit. _Now_."

Clay snickered, to which Nathan just glared back at him.

"Clay, are you eating with us?" Haley questioned while setting some plates on the island.

"Sure. If you don't mind." Haley took out an extra plate and passed it to him. "Thanks."

They all got their food and sat down to eat. They talked casually for a few minutes before Nathan changed the subject to more important matters.

"So, what's the verdict? How are we going to handle this?" He'd already called Clay earlier and told him all about his doctor's appointment.

"Well, I talked to your coach and the staff. Everyone's relieved to hear that you'll make a full recovery. I also was able to secure your endorsement deals. The shoe deal will continue as planned. I think the value went up even more now that you're injured."

"How did that happen?" Deb asked.

"Nathan's in the spotlight now because of the incident and has the public's support. I also told the bigwigs that he'll be back and better than ever by next season. People love those stories where a person rises from the ashes and all of that crap."

"Really nice, Clay," Haley joked.

"It's true. If he can overcome this, the public will love him that much more. Oh, and if you're up for it, the body spray people would like you to film the commercial next week."

Nathan groaned. "Damn it, Clay, I told you I didn't want to do that one."

"You said you did."

"No, I didn't."

"I already told them yes."

"Well, then make up some excuse to get me out of it. I'm injured for crying out loud. I'm sure they can understand that."

"It's good money, Nate."

"I have enough money. I am not being the freaking poster boy for body spray," Nathan asserted. "Real men take showers."

"I don't know why you choose to hurt me like this. The contract, endorsement deals…the never-ending love and support—"

"Now I'm going to need that body spray to cover up all of that crap."

Deb and Haley laughed as Clay rolled his eyes in amusement.

"Just get me out of it," Nathan ordered.

"Fine," he relented.

"What about the media?" Deb inquired. "I don't know if you noticed, but there are quite a few people and camera crews camped outside the building downstairs. I thought they were going to attack me if it wasn't for security."

"I've got that all taken care of, too."

"What's the plan?" Nathan prodded.

"You and Haley are going to attend the basketball game Wednesday night."

Haley's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Why?" Nathan added.

"To show support for the team even though you can't play for the rest of the season. You'll also gain more public support and sympathy, which is what we need right now. You have to look injured but, at the same time, put together," Clay explained. "There will be a press conference afterward, as well. You'll basically just explain the injury and how you have every intention of rehabilitating and coming back strong next season."

"Okay." Nathan thought that sounded reasonable. It would be hard to just sit in the stands while watching his teammates, knowing that he should be out there with them. But he was still rooting for them to make it to the playoffs—even if their chances probably weren't as good now with him gone.

"Oh, and if you want, you could maybe announce Haley's pregnancy. But that's up to you."

Haley almost choked on her ginger ale. "I am not using our baby to gain public sympathy, Clay."

He shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that. At the end, Nathan can just say he'll be focusing on his recovery and his family. It'll kind of end things on a good note. The fact that it will melt people's hearts is just a bonus."

"Oh, well when you put it like that." Her tone was sarcastic.

"It couldn't hurt, Hales," Nathan jumped in. "People are going to find out anyway."

"Are you sure it's not too early? We haven't even had our first doctor's appointment yet."

"It'll be fine. It's good news."

"I guess," she muttered, still unsure.

"You've got a couple of days to think about it," Clay reminded them.

Nathan rubbed Haley's back and turned to face his agent/friend. "We'll have to get back to you on that."


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey guys, I'm back! Thank you all for your comments last chapter. I had a lot of fun on vacation and am excited for the holidays. I know you all have been waiting a while for the update, and I wanted to get this posted before the yuletide craziness begins. I hope it was worth the wait and that you guys will continue to review. Enjoy the chapter and Happy Holidays!**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"I feel like freaking Tiny Tim," Nathan muttered as he rested his crutches along the seat in the limo. The Sonics' basketball game started in less than thirty minutes. Nathan would've liked to go earlier, but Clay insisted that they wait for as long as possible.

He thought it'd be a good idea if people saw an injured Nathan Scott hobbling to his seat on his crutches. Most of the fans would already be in the stadium by then. So they'd have a huge audience. Nathan didn't want sympathy. He wanted his knee healed so he could go back out on that court where he belonged. But when it came to publicity and appearances, Clay was usually in charge.

Haley fixed the collar of his shirt. "But you look so handsome."

"Hales, don't patronize me."

"Patronize. Now that's a big word."

Nathan rolled his eyes at her teasing smile.

"Come on, Nathan, it's going to be a good night," Haley tried to encourage. Nathan had been in a sour mood most of the day.

"I guess."

"Nate, have a drink or something," Clay spoke up from his seat across from them. "You need to loosen up. You cannot walk into that arena looking this depressed."

"He can't drink, Clay. He's on pain medication."

"Oh. Right," he muttered. "Bummer."

"I know that this isn't easy for you. But you'll feel better once we get there." Haley rubbed Nathan's arm. "You'll see."

"Haley's right, Nate. The fans are behind you. Not to mention that the team has dedicated this game to you," Clay told him. "Being injured sucks a big one. We get it. This should've been your season. But we got dealt a different hand, and now we've got to make the most of it."

Nathan was quiet for a moment before saying, "Okay."

"Okay what?"

"I'll try to not look so down. I'm going to support the team," he declared. "I'm concentrating on that."

Clay grinned and patted his shoulder. "Good man."

"We're almost there, Mr. Scott," their driver announced.

Haley ran a hand through her hair and adjusted her dress. She usually wore Nathan's jersey to the games, but there was the press conference afterward. She needed to look a little more put together tonight.

Thinking of the press conference, Haley felt a wave of nervousness hit her. She and Nathan had talked about Clay's suggestion the other day to announce her pregnancy. She'd been really apprehensive about it. Haley still felt like it was too early. And based on the things she'd read and stories she heard, there were a thousand-and-one things that could go wrong from now until the baby was born. Assuming, God willing, she made it to the end of her term.

Haley put a hand to her stomach.

Nathan's voice broke her out of her thoughts. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Huh?"

He nodded toward her hand. "Are you feeling sick again?"

"Driver, are there barf bags or anything in here?" Clay called as he glanced around, slightly panicked.

"I can pull over," the man answered.

"No. No, I'm fine," Haley quickly assured them. "I was just thinking."

Nathan already knew what was running through her mind. "You know, we don't have to do this tonight. If you want to wait to tell everyone, we can."

"We already agreed that we would."

"So? Plans can change." He put his hand over hers. "Hales."

"I just…I just don't want to jinx anything," she admitted in a reluctant voice.

"We won't. Whatever happens is going to occur whether we tell people or not."

"I know I'm being irrational. I just wish we'd had the doctor's appointment before this. You know?"

Nathan squeezed her hand gently. "Yeah, I know. But I honestly believe that everything is going to be all right." He gave her a small, teasing smile. "The baby is not going to be born with two heads."

Clay looked up from his Blackberry. "What the hell?"

"It's some stupid story she read on the internet," Nathan filled in. "It's total crap."

"You would bring that up again," Haley murmured. She'd tried to forget that horror story entirely.

"I'd say you could use a drink, but that's obviously out of the question." Clay shook his head. "Man, you guys are boring."

"Gee, thanks, Clay."

"I just call 'em like I see 'em."

"Whatever. We won't say anything."

"No, forget it. It's fine," Haley declared.

"Haley…"

"No, I mean it. You can announce it."

"Are you sure?" Nathan watched her carefully. "This isn't one of those times when you tell me it's fine and it's really not and you're just hoping that I'll realize it without you having to tell me, is it?"

"Yeah, I didn't get a word of that," Clay commented, utterly perplexed.

"No. It really is fine," Haley confirmed. "The baby is good news. We should share it."

"As long as you're sure."

"I am."

"I never can keep up with you two."

Haley smiled at him. "You'll understand when you're married someday."

Clay scoffed. "Fat chance of that happening."

"Never say never, man. I didn't think I'd be getting married either, and here I am."

"Weren't you drunk?" Clay reminded him, smirking.

"Oh my God, just because we were a little inebriated does not mean that it didn't mean anything," Haley defended.

"I heard you were more than a little 'inebriated.' I believe your friend Brooke once used the term 'totally smashed.'"

"Hey, I've been drunk tons of times with other girls," Nathan began. He noticed Haley eying him and gave her an apologetic look. "My point is that none of them ever would've been able to get a proposal out of me. Haley was it."

"Damn straight," Haley proclaimed in agreement and leaned in to kiss her husband.

"I thought you guys hated each other at the time."

Nathan shrugged. "Love. Hate. It's all the same."

"Man, that's messed up," Clay laughed before a serious expression crossed his face. "But you guys are really lucky."

Nathan's hand interlaced with Haley's as he grinned at her. "We know."

The limo stopped a moment later as they pulled up in front of the arena. Members of the press and fans were already lined up outside.

"Finally. I was about to be choked by the amount of love in here," Clay joked.

"You mock now, but just wait until you meet your match," Haley warned him. "It'll hit you before you even know it."

Clay handed Nathan his crutches and smirked at Haley. "We'll see."

Haley walked beside Nathan in the long hallway as they were guided to their seats. They'd taken a separate entrance to avoid the crowds of people.

"The game is going to start in a couple of minutes," Clay announced.

Finally they entered the giant, open arena. The stands were filled with fans, and the Sonics were already on the court shooting around. As they made it to their row, Haley noticed people staring in their direction and whispering.

It wasn't long before Nathan's face was on the jumboTron. The noise in the stadium grew as people began standing up from their seats. The crowd cheered loudly. There were countless people wearing his jersey and holding up signs that said "We love 12" and a few other key phrases. Nathan smiled and waved at the cameras.

_Maybe this isn't so bad_, he thought. Haley and Clay were right; everyone was behind him. He really did have the best fans. Nathan was truly moved by the sentiment and felt his previously bad mood start to brighten.

"Haley. Nathan," Lindsey greeted. As usual, her seat was right next to Haley's.

"Hi, Lindsey," Haley replied and gave her a hug.

"Quite a standing ovation, huh?" She embraced Nathan, as well.

"No kidding."

"Hi, Clay."

"Hey, Lindsey. How are you doing?"

"Good. You?"

Clay glanced around the still cheering stadium and grinned. "Fantastic."

"I'll bet." Lindsey returned her attention to Nathan and Haley. "How are you two holding up? Tony and I tried calling, but the line was disconnected."

"We unplugged the phone," Haley answered. She held Nathan's crutches for him as he took a seat. She placed them down on the floor before following suit.

"The press hounding you?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Nathan answered.

"We even turned off our cells for a little while, too."

"Oh, okay. I was starting to get worried."

"Well, I finally talked to Tony earlier today."

"I didn't know that. He's hasn't been home all day. He had a meeting with his agent and then some photo shoot."

"There's always something," Clay stated.

Lindsey nodded. "That's for damn sure. So what's up with that knee of yours, Nathan?"

"I've got a torn ACL."

"Ouch."

"Yeah. I'm going for surgery in several weeks."

"I'm so sorry," she sympathized.

"The doctor said if Nathan does everything he's supposed to do, then there's no reason why he couldn't make a full recovery. So we're trying to stay positive."

"'Trying' being the key word there," Clay muttered.

"It's hard," Haley amended and put her hand atop Nathan's on the armrest.

Lindsey patted Haley's arm soothingly. "Of course it is. But you'll get through it."

"The game's starting," Nathan stated.

They all looked to the basketball court as the team took their positions. The announcer's voice could be overheard introducing the players. He finished with declaring that the game was dedicated to Nathan in wake of his injury. Cheers erupted for a second time while Nathan's teammates nodded in his direction.

"This is golden," Clay said.

"You're loving this more than me, aren't you?" Nathan stated with a smirk.

"Oh yeah."

"I can tell."

"You guys are holding the press conference after this, right?" Lindsey inquired.

"Yes," Haley answered.

"I figured—seeing as though you're not wearing your usual jersey."

"I was going to, but you know the drill with these things."

"Yes, I do. But it's so cute," Lindsey complimented her outfit.

"Thank you. It's one of Brooke's designs." The seamless tank dress was simple yet elegant. The bodice was black and had a scooped neck. The skirt was gray and fell just past her knees. Haley also wore a pair of black heels, a long necklace with a few strands, and a pair of matching diamond earrings to accentuate the ensemble.

"You're making me want to go shopping again."

"I'm not even going to bother. I'm going to be bigger in a few months anyway. I won't be able to fit into anything."

"But now they have some really cute maternity clothes. You know, with all of the celebrities being preggers these days."

"True."

"Are you guys going to talk about clothes the whole time or are you actually going to watch the game?" Clay teased.

"Shit," Nathan cursed when someone from the opposing team stole the ball from D.J. It was only the beginning and they already weren't doing so well. This was going to be a long game.

* * *

Haley stood off to the side as the members of the press asked her husband question after question. The game tonight hadn't gone all that well. The Sonics had won but just barely. It had been a true struggle. Haley had been glancing over at Nathan throughout the entire game and noticed the worry and anguish in his eyes. He felt like he was letting them down.

Nathan wasn't the only person sensing that the Sonics' season would most likely be over soon. With the way they played tonight, it would take a miracle for them to make it to the playoffs. The reporters and members of the media sensed this, as well. Nathan's coach, who was sitting beside him, was trying to reassure everyone that the team was going to work harder than ever. But it sounded hollow, even to her ears.

"Mr. Scott, since the incident, Jerome Garret has been suspended from the league for the rest of the season. Do you think that was a fair punishment for what he did to you?" one reporter questioned.

"I trust the officials' decision. If they think that's what he deserved, then I have to accept that."

"What do you think of Jerome's lack of apology for the incident?" another asked.

"It's a shame what happened and that he shows no remorse for what he did. Basketball isn't always about winning. It's about sportsmanship and playing to the best of your ability. It's about heart. And if he doesn't have that, then I feel sorry for him. But it's not on my conscience," Nathan replied.

More reporters clamored for his attention, and Nathan tried to answer their questions as best he could. Several minutes later, Clay checked his watch and motioned for Nathan to wrap it up.

"I can take one more question," Nathan told the crowd.

"Nathan," an older brunette spoke up. "Now that your season is over, what are your plans? Do you think you'll make a full recovery?"

"I know that I will. Despite my injury, everything looks good. I've got a long way to go, but I've never let anything stop me before. So I'll mostly be focusing on my recovery." Nathan shot a look to Haley, silently asking for permission one last time before he continued.

She gave him a small smile and nodded.

Nathan returned his gaze to the press and flashing cameras. "My family is my other top priority. And although this week has been very trying for me and for them, there has been a silver lining," Nathan stated. "You see, I just recently found out that my wife Haley is pregnant."

Murmurs spread throughout the crowd while the cameras snapped away feverishly. The reporters started spitting out more questions—some directed to Haley who was still standing off to the side.

"We're both very excited, as well as our other family members and friends. That's all I'm really willing to say on the matter. Haley and I like our privacy, but we just wanted to share the good news with the fans and to thank them for their continuous support," Nathan declared.

It was then that Clay stepped in and brought the press conference to a close. Nathan felt relief flood him as he grabbed his crutches and left the press area. He and Haley walked into an adjoining room with Clay in tow.

"So, how'd I do?" Nathan questioned.

Clay patted his back. "You did great. You really hit it out of the park today. You were cool, calm, collected, and they all noticed."

"Does that mean we can go home now?"

"Yeah, sure. That's it for tonight."

"Do you think that's enough for the media to stop being staked outside our apartment building?" Haley asked.

"I don't know. I doubt it," Clay answered honestly. "This has been a big story. And with the news of the baby, it just makes what Jerome did to Nathan look that much worse."

"Great," Haley sighed.

"Look, you guys came to the game tonight. That pretty much covers your big public appearance since the incident. Take a couple of days to relax, and we'll discuss our next course of action after that. Okay?"

"Okay. Sure," Nathan replied.

"Good. You guys take the limo. I can get a cab."

"You sure? You can come with us, Clay," Haley told him. "It's no problem."

"That's all right. I've got to stay here a bit longer and take care of some things. I'll get in touch with you soon."

Nathan shrugged. "If you're sure…anyway, thanks for tonight, man." Clay had definitely organized a good press conference. He'd also helped prepare Nathan beforehand about what exactly he was going to say.

"No problem."

After the pair bumped fists and Clay gave Haley a hug, the couple made their way back to the limo. It had been a long night, and they were both more than ready to go home.

* * *

"Finally, some peace and quiet," Nathan sighed as he lay back in bed. He grabbed the TV control and turned on the flat screen. He scanned through the channels until finally choosing _Batman Begins. _

Haley took a seat next to him and grabbed the bottle of lotion on her nightstand. "You did really great tonight. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks. I thought I was going to lose my mind the whole game. And then with the press conference afterward it was just so…overwhelming."

"You've been through a lot."

"It's been a crazy week. I need a break."

Haley was silent for a couple of minutes as she rubbed the lotion between her hands. "So, I've been thinking…"

Nathan smirked without removing his eyes from the TV. "That's never a good thing."

Haley gasped in mock outrage and elbowed him.

"Ow! Injured man over here," he teased. He wiped at his arm. "Plus, you got all lotion on me."

"Oh, it smells good. Unlike you."

Nathan chuckled. "I smell awesome. You know I'm sexy, Haley. Don't lie."

"Whatever. Can you get serious for like a second?"

"Oh, I'm serious. I really am sexy. In fact, I was voted number three in _Sports Illustrated_'s Top 20 Hottest Male Athletes issue last year."

"You are never going to let that go, are you?" she laughed.

Haley still remembered the look on Nathan's face when he realized that he'd not only made the list but had scored so high. He wore that confident smirk of his for a good two weeks. Haley had been proud of him, too, but it's not like she needed a contest to know her husband was hot. She was reminded of it every day that she lived with him.

Haley smiled discreetly to herself. It was such a hard life.

"Babe, I was right behind Brady and Beckham. That's not something you forget easily."

"I'm sure."

"I know that you loved it. You just won't admit it."

"Someone's got to keep that ego in check," she kidded.

He gave her an incredulous look.

"Nathan," she said in a more serious voice.

"Okay," he relented. "What is it that you've been thinking about?"

All of a sudden Haley felt a little nervous. She didn't know when this idea came to her. But when it had, she simply couldn't get it out of her head. Haley even felt herself getting excited over the prospect. She knew she probably shouldn't. After all, she wasn't exactly sure Nathan would go for it. But she had to at least try.

"Well, with you being injured and overwhelmed—not to mention the media being absolutely crazy—I was thinking that it'd be nice if we got away for a while."

"Like a vacation?" Nathan asked curiously.

"Um, yeah, sort of."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking…" She took a breath to steady her nerves. "I was thinking we could visit Tree Hill."

"Oh. For what? Like a weekend or something?"

"Longer."

"A week," Nathan assumed. "It sounds nice, but I don't know how we could do it. I mean, I've got the surgery coming up and moving around is tough as it is."

"I meant longer than a week," Haley revealed.

Nathan's brow furrowed. "I don't understand."

"If we go, I'd like to go for a while."

"How long is 'a while'?"

"Until after the baby is born."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Hales…"

"Just listen to me. We haven't gone anywhere in a long time. I think with everything that has happened we could both use a change of scenery. I think it'd be nice to get out of the city," Haley explained. "And I'm dying to see our house. It's the perfect opportunity."

"Hales, I have to have this surgery."

"I know. But you don't have to get it done here. You know they have a great hospital in Charlotte."

"But my doctor is here," he pointed out.

"So? What about Dr. Greene?" Haley reminded him. "He was the person you saw when you were at Duke. You've known him for years, and I'm sure he's more than qualified to do the surgery."

"What about school? You can't tell me that you actually want to leave your students."

"It's true I'll miss them. But with your injury and my pregnancy, it's the only time we'll be able to do this. You know, before things get even more complicated." She then added, "And it's not like I won't be missing school anyways. You're supposed to be resting that knee. You'll need even more help once you have the surgery. I can't leave you home alone."

"Hales, you know that my mom offered to stay and help out."

"Nathan, she can't stay here for that long. She has a life, too," Haley stated. "Besides, she lives in Tree Hill. So if we go there, she could maybe stop in and help without it being such an inconvenience."

"I don't know," Nathan mumbled. A part of him thought that it was a good idea. It felt like forever since they'd been to Tree Hill. He did miss it. And it's not like he'd be doing much here in Seattle. Tree Hill was slower paced and much more relaxed. He could use a break from the chaos of the city. Not to mention that the media seemed to be constantly hounding them.

But then another part of him was weary. His team was in Seattle. It probably wouldn't be good if he totally vanished off of the radar. Not to mention that Dr. Kelson was already familiar with his injury. The surgery was scheduled and ready to go. And then there was Haley's condition to consider.

"Hales, are you sure you can even travel?" Nathan questioned.

"I think it would be okay. We can ask the doctor on Friday." She watched him carefully for a moment. "Nathan?"

"I'm still not sure."

Haley sidled up next to him. "I know why you're hesitant. But this is something I really want to do. It'll be good for us. I know it," Haley reassured him. "And I know we haven't discussed this since it's still early but…I always wanted the baby to be born in Tree Hill."

"I know, Haley, but…" Nathan sighed.

She met his gaze with a pleading look. "Please."

Nathan stared into her chocolate brown eyes and saw how much she genuinely wanted this. He knew she wouldn't even ask otherwise. How could he resist that beautiful and vulnerable face of hers?

"Okay."

Haley's whole face lit up. "Really?"

"On one condition," he declared.

"Okay," she said with a nod.

"Both our doctors have to say it's absolutely okay. If there are any complications or problems, we're not going."

"I really don't think Dr. Kelson will object."

"It's not exactly me I'm worried about," Nathan admitted.

"We'll see what my doctor says," Haley agreed. "But if she does give us the green light, we're actually going to Tree Hill, right?"

Nathan smiled at her building enthusiasm. "Yes. If it's okay, then we're going to Tree Hill."

"Yes!" she squealed and hugged him. She started to leave kisses all over his face. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Nathan chuckled and enjoyed her assault. He loved seeing Haley so happy. Maybe she was right. Maybe returning to Tree Hill was just what they needed.


	13. Chapter 12

**Thank you all for the reviews last chapter, and I hope you all had a nice holiday. I've been receiving some questions about my last story, "Stand By Me." That fic is in fact complete. I know many of you were either shocked or mad about how it ended. There is going to be a sequel to that story called "Leave the Pieces," and I have just posted its summary under my profile. So the next question is when will that be posted? Honestly, the answer is that I have no idea. It will definitely be sometime next year. Although I have LTP's outline, I have not started writing it yet. I'm still working on the final chapters of IY at the moment. When I have a definitive date in mind, I will post it on my profile for you guys. **

**I'm also toying with the idea of writing another short fic. And I do mean short. I want to say that it'll have at most ten chapters in it. If you guys would like to read the preliminary summary, please let me know. I'll post it with the next chapter of IY. **

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****Chapter 12**

Haley stared at the piles of clothes on her bed. She hated packing. It was always so hard. It wasn't necessarily the organizing aspect that got to her. It was the figuring out what exactly she needed and should bring part. She already had one giant suitcase filled with clothes and shoes. Did she really need another one?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the phone ring. Haley rushed to pick it up. "Hello."

"Hey, Haley," Peyton greeted on the other line.

"Hey, how are you?"

"Good. How are you? Is Nathan all right?"

"He's doing a little better. It's still hard for him to move around with the crutches and all, but the pain in his knee isn't as bad as before," Haley explained.

"That's good."

"Yeah."

"Well, I just wanted to call and catch up. You know, see how things are going."

"They're going really good, actually. I mean, aside from Nathan's injury and my morning sickness."

Peyton laughed. "I can imagine. But you sound really happy."

Haley smiled to herself. "I am."

"Would this have anything to do with your doctor's visit a few days ago?"

"Actually, I was feeling pretty good before that. But the doctor's visit definitely made my mood better," she stated while looking through some more clothes in her walk-in closet.

"How did that go? I was meaning to call the other day and ask you, but things have been so crazy at the record label. I didn't get a chance."

"The doctor's visit went really well. She just went over the basics. She asked about my previous medical history, did an exam, and then went over some things to expect," Haley explained. "She said the baby and I are both healthy."

"That's great," Peyton enthused.

"And I've got my due date," she declared.

"Ooh, what is it?"

"August eighth."

"Aw, that'll be awesome."

"I already marked it on the calendar."

"You must be so excited."

"I am. Nathan and I got to hear the baby's heartbeat. Oh my God, Peyton, it was so amazing. I was in total awe."

Haley smiled at the memory. She knew she was pregnant. She had the morning sickness and mood swings to prove it. But it wasn't until she heard the strong thumping of their baby's heartbeat that it truly hit her that another life was growing inside of her. All of a sudden, it just felt so real.

Haley remembered looking at Nathan and seeing just how stunned and elated he was. He'd been holding her hand the whole time. He'd kissed her lovingly afterward. Haley couldn't envision a more perfect moment.

"I can imagine."

"I have even more good news," Haley announced.

"What?"

"I'm packing right now for our trip to Tree Hill!"

"Oh my God, no way!" Peyton laughed. "That's awesome."

"I know. We're leaving tomorrow. I can't wait."

"I'm glad that you finally talked to him about how you felt."

Haley placed a stack of folded clothes into her second suitcase. "Well, that's not exactly what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"We're not staying in Tree Hill permanently. I kind of just convinced Nathan that with his injury and all this stress we've both been under that going to Tree Hill would be a nice break for us."

"Oh."

Haley returned to the bed and looked through another pile of clothes. "I know what you're thinking. I should just tell him I want to move there, but I don't want to overwhelm Nathan right now," she said. "You know how he is. You kind of need to ease him gently into things. I figured we could spend some time getting reacquainted with Tree Hill. And then when the time is right, I can tell him that I'd like for us to stay there."

"How long are you going to wait?" Peyton questioned. "You know if you tell him too last minute that he'll probably be upset."

"I know. I've thought about it and I've decided that I'm going to tell him once he starts to fully recover from the surgery. I'm sure he'll be better apt to discuss something like that when he's feeling like himself again."

"So is he getting the surgery in Tree Hill?"

"No. He'll be going to the hospital in Charlotte. Nathan's previous doctor will be doing it. He's really good."

"I'm assuming you had to clear this with Nathan's present doctor."

"Yeah. He wasn't too keen on having someone else do the surgery. We assured him, though, that this other guy is one of the best in North Carolina and would be able to handle it. I think it'd be best if Nathan had the surgery out there instead of having it here and then us traveling afterward."

"It makes sense," Peyton agreed. "And what about you and the baby?"

"My doctor said I'm all set, too. The traveling should be fine for the baby and me."

"Good. So you'll be having the baby out there?"

"Yes."

"Awesome. Now you're making me want to go back," she laughed.

"You should. I'm sure downtown Tree Hill would be the prefect place to open an art gallery."

Peyton groaned. "Please don't do this to me."

"Have you talked to Jake yet?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"We're still in the process of discussing it."

"It doesn't sound like it went well."

"It went okay. He just thinks that I'd have more exposure and opportunities if I opened my art gallery in L.A."

"You probably would," Haley conceded.

"I know, but it's not about that. I'm just sick of California in general. I always swore that I would leave Tree Hill as soon as I got the chance. Now I just find myself missing it more and more."

"I didn't even grow up there and I find myself missing it," Haley joked.

"It doesn't matter. Home is where the heart is—as cliché as it sounds."

"No kidding."

"Hello? Haley?" a female voice called.

Haley turned around to see Lindsey standing in the doorway. "Hey."

"Hi. I'm sorry to interrupt." Lindsey gestured to the phone. "Tony came over to visit Nathan, and I thought I'd come with him. But if you're busy, I can—"

"No, stay. It's fine."

"I don't know. I'll just—"

"Lindsey, stay," Haley ordered with an encouraging smile. "Peyton, you still there?"

"Yeah. I heard. I'll let you go. Say hi to Lindsey for me."

"Sure. Peyton says hi," Haley relayed the message.

"Hey, Peyton," Lindsey called back while entering further into the room.

"Well, let me know how things go in Tree Hill. Maybe Jake and I will visit for a long weekend or something. It might make him want to stay there, too," Peyton kidded.

Haley laughed. "That's my plan of attack. I'll keep in touch. And I'm holding you to that visit."

"You know if I come that Brooke won't want to be left out, right?"

"Of course she won't. It'll be a good time."

"I'll keep in touch. Talk to you soon."

"Bye, Peyton."

"Bye." Haley hung up the phone and turned to face Lindsey.

"I'm sorry," said the blonde.

Haley flicked her hand in dismissal. "You don't have to apologize. It's fine."

"Well, it looks like you've got most of your packing done."

"Yeah. I've been running around like a nut all weekend. And with Nathan's knee, it's not like he can really help me. His mom's been picking up the slack, though. Thank God."

"I'm here now. Did you want some help folding the rest of these clothes?"

"That'd be great. If you don't mind," she added.

"No, I'd be happy to help. I wanted to spend some time with you before you left. It sucks that my only good friend in this city is leaving."

Haley grinned at her. "I'm going to miss you, too." Lindsey and Tony had been sad when they first heard that she and Nathan would be away for quite awhile in Tree Hill. They were all really close.

"Don't worry. I'll survive. You and Nathan need to get away. It's completely understandable."

"Thanks."

"So how did you deal with work?"

"I'm taking a sabbatical for the rest of the year."

"Were your students bummed?" Lindsey asked while folding some more clothes.

Haley groaned. "Ugh, yes. It was so hard telling them that I was leaving. But I know it's the right thing to do."

"That's what counts," Lindsey agreed before taking a look around the room. "Just out of curiosity, how many things are you bringing?"

Haley glanced at her already full second suitcase. "You think it's too much? I mean, we are going to be there for about seven months."

"True. But by that time, I don't think you'll be able to fit into most of this stuff. You know, with Scott Jr. on the way," Lindsey reminded her. "You'll be needing all new clothes."

Haley bit her lip in realization. "Okay, you kind of have a point."

* * *

"Aw man! I can't believe that just happened!" Tony exclaimed.

"I never realized how much you suck at this."

"I do not suck. I think there is something wrong with my controller."

Nathan scoffed. "Yeah, sure."

"I'm serious. This thing is all kinds of messed up."

"Just like you," Nathan quipped as his guy made another basket. He and Tony were playing NBA Live in the living room.

"You're just lucky that you're injured, Big Time. It's the only thing keeping me from smearing your ass across this apartment," he joked.

"Yeah, lucky me," Nathan muttered with a sarcastic roll of his eyes.

"So how are you doing? I saw you during the game last week. You looked like you were about to jump out of your seat."

"I was."

"I know it's tough, man. I got injured in college. It wasn't anything major, but it kept me out of a few games. I was going crazy just sitting in the stands."

"Sounds familiar."

"Look, don't worry about us. The team and I can take care of ourselves. You just concentrate on getting better."

Nathan sighed and hit another button on his controller. His guy scored again. "That's what everyone keeps telling me."

"They're right," Tony declared. "You gotta heal. We're going to need you next season."

"Knock, knock."

Nathan paused the game and turned his head to see Clay entering the apartment. "Hey, Clay."

"You know, you should probably lock the front door. What if I were a member of the press or some psycho?"

"Oh, sorry. That was my fault," Tony spoke up.

"Luckily, you're not a press member," Nathan cut in. "But the psycho thing is true."

"You suck, man," Clay chuckled and shook his head. He took a seat on the couch next to Tony. "What's up, Battle?"

Tony bumped fists with him. "Not much. How you doing, Clay?"

"I'm busy. But I thought I'd take some time to visit the best client on my roster before he leaves me."

"Is everything all set?" Nathan questioned.

He'd told Clay about his plans to return to Tree Hill several days ago. At first Clay hadn't been thrilled by the idea of Nathan leaving Seattle. He thought it would be better if Nathan hung around. He didn't want him to fade into the background or completely fly off the radar. It was Nathan's contract year. Not to mention all of the endorsements they'd worked so hard to keep after the injury.

Nathan, however, managed to convince Clay that this would be the best thing for him. He could get out of the spotlight and take some time for himself. It wouldn't be a bad thing if people knew that he was resting up and working on recovering. It would create some anticipation for next season. After that Clay agreed that a prolonged trip to Tree Hill couldn't actually hurt.

"Yes. I talked with the coach and staff. They don't have a problem with you leaving. I'll be keeping an eye on things here for you. I'll keep you updated on what's going on."

"Thanks."

"So what exactly are you going to do in Tree Hill?" Clay questioned as Nathan turned the game back on. "Isn't it like small and boring?"

Nathan chuckled. "Yes. Sometimes. But it's where I grew up. And Haley's been dying to go back and see the house."

"What house?"

"You remember. The one that I was looking at when we played the Bobcats that time."

"Oh, right," Clay remembered. "You showed me pictures of it."

"Yeah."

"It looked good."

"I saw the pictures, too. It was really nice."

"Yeah, Haley loved it. So we'll be staying there," Nathan said.

"Your first house—that's big stuff. I'm surprised you didn't buy one sooner," Tony commented.

"We never really had a need for one before."

"It's good timing with the baby coming," Clay added.

"True. But I didn't even know about the baby when I bought it. It just felt like the right house at the right time. You know?"

"Well, you enjoy it while the rest of us bust our asses," Tony kidded.

"Believe me, I wish I could be out there on that court."

"You'll get there, Nate," Clay encouraged. "If you want, I can come to Tree Hill from time to time and check on the rehab."

"You don't have to do that."

"No, it's fine. It's part of my job to see how you're doing. Plus, I'm your friend. If you need anything, just let me know."

"Thanks, Clay. I appreciate it."

"Why am I not surprised that you guys are playing video games?" Lindsey teased as she and Haley came down the stairs.

Nathan took one look at Haley and instantly noticed the melancholy expression on her face. "What's the matter?"

"I'm going to get fat," Haley deadpanned.

His eyebrows shot up in a mixture of surprise and confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I was packing all of my clothes and realized that I won't need so many of them. They're not going to fit after a few months. Before you know it I'm going to be fat, swollen, and the size of a hot air balloon."

Clay and Tony snickered.

Haley turned on them. "It's not funny!"

They instantly quieted down and returned their attention to the TV. Meanwhile, Lindsey suppressed a smile at their antics.

"You're not going to be fat. You're just pregnant," Nathan soothed.

Haley sighed and played with her wedding band.

"Hales," he stated. She was getting herself in this big funk for nothing.

"Let's not think about that right now," Lindsey jumped in. "Why don't we have some lunch? We'll eat something healthy."

Haley bit her lip. "I'm kind of craving ice cream."

"Then we'll have that."

"That's not healthy."

"But it does have calcium. Come on, don't you want the baby to have strong bones?"

Haley shrugged nonchalantly but was already salivating over the idea of a big bowl of ice cream with hot fudge and whipped cream on top. "Maybe one bowl wouldn't be so bad."

"Great! Let's see what you've got."

"And a banana couldn't hurt."

"Bananas are good. They're full of potassium. You have any?"

"I just bought some the other day."

"One ice cream sundae, banana split combo coming right up," Lindsey proclaimed and headed into the kitchen.

Haley glanced down at her currently trim figure. "No use prolonging the inevitable." She sighed whimsically. "I really liked my thighs." Now she knew why Vivian used to freak out when she was pregnant with Deidra. It wasn't exactly easy picturing your body expanding.

"So do I," Nathan muttered with a smirk. Tony and Clay laughed softly.

"Shut up," Haley replied, but it was too late. The blush was already coloring her face. Haley quickly joined Lindsey in the kitchen. She was going to need that cold ice cream right about now.

* * *

"I can't believe we're here!"

Nathan smiled when he saw the euphoric expression on his wife's face. They'd just gotten off of their seven-and-a-half hour flight from Seattle to Tree Hill. Usually Haley didn't do all that well on planes, but Nathan was surprised this time. She'd been fine and, thankfully, hadn't gotten sick. It had been a good morning.

Now that it was the afternoon, her mood hadn't changed. She was still all happy and smiling. Nathan was surprised but wasn't about to complain. Her enthusiasm was actually infectious. He couldn't wait to see her expression when she stepped into their house for the first time.

"We should get the luggage," Nathan said. He noticed a few people staring at him in recognition as he hobbled along on his crutches. He didn't care, though. The amount of attention was no where near as much as it had been in Seattle.

"Okay. But we should find Karen and Keith first. I can't carry those suitcases by myself." They were supposed to pick them up and drive them over to the house.

"I'll go grab the luggage while you find them," Deb offered. "You shouldn't be lifting things like that anyway."

"We'll meet you by the conveyor belt."

"They said that they'd be toward the front entrance," Haley told Nathan and led the way. She made sure to walk a little slower so that he could keep up.

A couple of minutes later, Haley spotted Keith, Karen, and Lily standing not too far from the airport's main entrance. Karen saw them first and waved.

"Hi," Haley greeted as the older woman pulled her into a hug.

Nathan hugged his Uncle Keith and patted Lily's head when she latched onto his good leg. He couldn't bend down to her level just yet. Haley hugged them also once Karen let her go.

"I'm so happy that you're here," Karen enthused.

"Me, too."

"Did you bring me any presents?" Lily questioned.

"Lily," Keith reprimanded lightly. "Don't be rude."

"I was just wondering," she mumbled.

"I've got a lollipop with different flavors if you want it."

"Really?"

Haley nodded. "As long as it's okay with your mom and dad."

"Can I have it, Daddy? Pleeeeaaaase?"

"She always asks Keith first instead of me. She's got him wrapped around her finger," Karen whispered conspiratorially to Nathan.

"Yes, you can have it."

"Yay!" Haley pulled the lollipop out of her purse and passed it to Lily. "Thank you, Aunt Haley."

"You're welcome."

"Where's your luggage?" Keith questioned.

"My mom's getting it. She could probably use some help."

"I'll be right back."

While Keith and Deb were gone, Nathan and Haley chatted with Karen. She told them about the different events in town and how they needed to stop by Tric sometime.

"We definitely will," Haley promised. "I really want to see what you and Deb have done with the place."

"Let me know and I'll get you some VIP passes."

"Sounds great."

"What, I don't get them just for being Nathan Scott?"

Haley rolled her eyes at her husband as Karen laughed. "Don't mind him. It's the pain medication talking."

"I've known him for quite some time. That's all Nathan Scott right there," Karen teased.

Nathan smirked confidently.

"Oh, lord," Haley muttered just as Keith and Deb returned with their suitcases.

"You ready to go?" Keith questioned.

"Yes." Haley glanced at Nathan with that same beaming smile on her face. "Let's go see our new home."


	14. Chapter 13

**Hi guys, I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in so long. I was in the process of moving and had no time to get on the computer. Things are starting to settle down now, though. Thank you all for your reviews. I hope this next chapter will make up for the wait. Also, I included the summary of my next fic at the end of this chapter. I don't know exactly when I'm going to start writing it, but hopefully it will be within the next couple of months. Like I mentioned before, it's going to be a short fic. So please read the summary and let me know what you think!**

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****Chapter 13**

_**January 10, 2012**_

Haley was practically jumping in her seat she was so excited. Keith had said it would be only another minute before they arrived at the house. She couldn't wait to see it. Haley had been amazed by the pictures Nathan had showed her. She could only imagine the affect the real thing would have on her.

"So, how are you guys going to get around town?" Keith questioned as he drove.

"I bought a couple of cars, too, when I got the house," Nathan answered.

Haley's head whipped away from the window to look at him. "You did?"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Nathan shrugged. "I must've forgotten."

"What kind of cars did you get?"

"Well, I got a Range Rover SUV for myself."

"What color?"

"Silver."

"And for me?" Haley prompted.

"You got the newest Lexus Sedan. I figured you'd prefer a smaller car to drive rather than a big SUV."

"What color is mine?"

"A pearly white. I think there's some other name for it, but I can't remember. Anyway, it's a really great car. You'll love it."

"A new house and cars? Sounds like the good life," Karen joked.

"Well, I didn't want to ship our other cars here. I'd rather have them in Seattle for when we go back," Nathan said.

Haley's smile faltered for a moment, but she brushed it off. They were in Tree Hill now. That's all she was going to think about. "Are we there yet?" she inquired.

Keith chuckled. "Almost."

Nathan glanced at Haley and smirked. He was glad that she was so eager to see the house. He wanted to make her happy. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she saw it up close for herself instead of just through the photos he'd given her.

"Is that it?" Haley spoke up after a few moments.

Nathan nodded in confirmation. "That's it."

"Oh my God, it's so big. Way bigger than in the picture," Haley observed as Keith pulled up into the driveway.

"It's beautiful," Deb complimented.

Haley had to agree with her. The outside siding was taupe. The front double doors were in the center, set back behind two huge white columns. The columns held up the balcony overhead, which could be reached by taking the white staircases on either side.

Keith parked the car, and they all got out. Haley stood frozen in her spot and continued to stare at the house. It wasn't until she felt Nathan's hand on her shoulder that she seemed to snap out of her daze.

"You ready to see the inside?"

Haley nodded wordlessly and followed Nathan to the front doors. He pulled the house key out of his pocket and held it out to her. "You want to do the honors?"

She smiled. "I'd love to." She took the key from him and placed it in the lock. A second later, the door swung open.

"You know, I was originally hoping to carry you across the threshold of our new home. But considering my condition…"

Haley gave him a sympathetic look and rubbed his arm, followed by a chaste kiss. "It's okay."

He nodded toward the inside. "Go ahead."

Haley stepped into the foyer with Nathan right behind her. She faced a long hallway and set of stairs. To the left was the kitchen and the right was the dining room. She went into the kitchen first. It was spacious. There was a long middle island. She ran her hands over the granite while looking at the refrigerator and countertop against the wall. The counter extended so that it created a small barrier between the kitchen and living room.

She went into the living room next. It, too, was large—but not so big that you could lose yourself in it. The room was just the right size. Haley spotted another route to the main hallway. She found a linen closet at the end. Next to that was a small laundry room. Haley just peeked her head inside before going to the following room. It was spacious and contained a large grand piano. She ran her fingers over it lightly. Haley had always wanted one like this.

"I figured you could get back to your musical roots. Maybe play for me once in a while," Nathan commented.

Haley looked up and smiled at him. "Definitely." She walked back out into the hallway and made her way into the dining room. It was probably the most elaborately decorated room. The overhead crystal chandelier, dark wood china cabinet, and dining room table were nothing less than exquisite.

"Where do you want this stuff?" Keith questioned as he, Karen, and Deb started bringing their luggage inside.

"I think upstairs would be best," Nathan suggested. "Did you want them in the bedroom, Hales?"

Haley looked away from the room and stared at the group. "Um, that brown one can stay down here. But the rest can go upstairs."

"Which room is it?" Deb asked.

"The bedroom is at the top of the stairs to the right," Nathan instructed.

Haley took the lead. She still had yet to see the upstairs. "Are you coming, Nathan?"

"I'll stay down here for right now. It's going to take me forever to get up the stairs and then back down."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," he dismissed. "I've already seen it anyway."

"Okay." Haley finished going upstairs and followed Nathan's directions. She found their bedroom easily. Like the rest of the house, it was just as beautiful. The king-size bed located next to the door on the right was a dark mahogany. There was a matching dresser up against the wall in the corner of the room. A pretty tan chaise lounge was a few feet over. All the way to the left were the double doors that led out to the balcony.

"Ooh, this is beautiful," Karen complimented as she, Keith, and Deb entered the room.

"Yeah, it is," Haley agreed. She opened the doors to the balcony and stepped outside. The air was chilly but definitely not as cold as Seattle had been. She felt like she was in the tropics now compared to what they'd left behind. From the balcony, Haley took in the back yard. It was really large and the perfect playing area for a child and Duke. She couldn't help thinking about him and feeling a little sad. They'd had to let him fly separately through a special pet traveling company. Lindsey and Tony were watching him for a night and would be taking him to the airport the next day.

Telling herself that it was only one day, Haley tried to focus again on her new house. There was a huge inground pool in the back. It was covered, though, for the winter. Leading from the house to the pool was the very wide cement patio. Haley thought it was perfect for any parties or backyard barbecues they would hold. A lot of people would be able to fit.

"Haley, did you see the bathroom?" Deb called.

Haley returned to the bedroom and entered the bathroom across the room. Her eyes immediately honed in on the gigantic tub. There was also a glass shower and long counter for their double sinks. A small hallway in the bathroom led down into the big walk-in closet.

"We're going to grab the rest of the stuff," Keith called.

After they left, Haley checked out the rest of the upstairs. There were two spare bedrooms and a couple more bathrooms, as well as another large linen closet. When she was done with her observations, Haley went back downstairs.

"So," Nathan began, "what did you think?"

Haley didn't say anything at first. She just stood on her tiptoes and touched her lips gently to his.

"I'm assuming that means that you really liked it," Nathan joked.

"I do," she answered and caressed his cheek. "You couldn't have picked a more perfect place. I really and truly love it, Nathan. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied with a happy grin. "And you're sure there isn't anything you want to change?"

"I love the decorating. I mean, there are still some things we could add to make it more homey, but for the most part it's great."

"Yeah, we can fix that."

"And I noticed that there are two guest bedrooms but no nursery."

"I know. You weren't pregnant when I actually bought the house and the remodeling was going on. But I was thinking about it the other day and figured the guest room across from ours could be the baby's room."

"I was thinking the same thing."

"Well, I guess that will be our own little family project."

Haley smiled broadly and leaned in for another kiss. "Sounds perfect."

"Whoa, save the christening for when we leave, will you?" Keith teased.

Nathan smirked as Haley's face turned a bright red.

"Keith," Karen chided, laughing despite herself.

It took a few more minutes for the rest of their things to be brought in the house. Keith, Karen, and Deb then said their goodbyes. They still had to bring Deb home to her beach house. Haley and Nathan hugged each of them and thanked them again for their help.

"We should probably head to the supermarket before we do anything else," Haley declared after a moment. "There's no food in the house, right?"

"I don't think so."

Haley started to lead the way toward the garage. "So, let's see these new cars, Scott."

* * *

"I'm can't believe I let you talk me into buying so much meat."

"There's nothing wrong with meat."

"It's going to go bad. I'm going to have to freeze most of it."

"So freeze it. I'm injured, Hales. I need my protein."

"That's if you don't die of a heart attack first," she quipped. The pair was in the kitchen. They'd been at the supermarket for over an hour making sure that they got everything they needed. It was a good thing Nathan had suggested that they take the SUV. There as no way all of the things they'd bought would have fit in her car.

"What I don't get is why you bought so much ice cream."

"Hey, I can't help it if I have cravings. The baby wants ice cream, and he or she is going to get it," she defended.

"You'll never finish it all by yourself."

"Just watch me."

Nathan smiled and shook his head. He wanted to argue otherwise but knew he'd probably lose. Haley's appetite had been growing lately. Sometimes she even finished her meals before him and would then proceed to try to take some food out of his plate. Nathan knew enough not to stop her or say anything. The last thing he wanted was to make her upset or self-conscious about her weight.

Haley loaded more food into the cupboards and refrigerator. It was about twenty minutes later that they were finally done. Haley blew out a breath. "Well, that took forever. I'm actually kind of hungry now. Are you hungry?" she questioned and turned to face Nathan.

"Sort of."

Haley watched him carefully. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I was thinking about what Keith said earlier and he had a point."

She leaned her back against the island. "About what?"

"It is customary that we christen the house."

She blushed. "Oh, that."

"It's good luck," he said and approached her.

"I know it is."

"And there are a lot of rooms."

"There are."

"So we should probably start as soon as possible." His voice was low and husky, sending a chill up Haley's spine.

"Right now?" she questioned.

Nathan placed his hands on the curve of her waist and pulled her flush against him. "Why not?"

He kissed the spot just behind her ear before swiping his tongue around the lobe and sucking it into his mouth.

Haley shuddered at the sensation. "N-Nathan," she stammered as his lips glided lower to her neck. "We can't."

"Why not?" he repeated.

She lost her train of thought for a second as his hands slid up her stomach to her breasts. They were so sensitive lately and with the way he was massaging them at the moment, she felt like she might melt into a puddle of goo on the floor. It felt so good.

"B-because…the windows are open," she suddenly remembered. "We don't want to give the neighbors a show. What will they think of us?"

"We'll shut the blinds, then." He kissed his way up her neck and captured her lips.

Haley moaned loudly into his mouth and clung to his shoulders. Her legs felt like jelly seconds later when he gave her breasts another squeeze. His hands trailed down to her waist. The next thing she knew, he'd lifted her up onto the island. She gasped in surprise but broke the kiss a second later when she heard Nathan let out a small yelp of pain.

"What's the matter?" Haley panicked.

Nathan's eyes were shut as he breathed deeply. "Nothing."

"Nathan, that was not nothing."

He sighed and opened his eyes. "I think I just leaned on my knee the wrong way."

"Nathan—"

"It's fine now," he interrupted. He moved in to kiss her again, but she pulled back.

"No, Nathan, we can't do this."

"I told you it's fine."

"Honey, you're on crutches and you're in pain."

"It's not that bad."

"The doctor wants you to stay off of that knee. There's no way you can do that while we're…doing it on the kitchen counter."

"Hales, we haven't had sex in over a week."

"You've been hurt." Even though Nathan was on medication and the pain wasn't as excruciating as before, there were still times when his knee was bad. If he so much as twisted the wrong way it would hurt. Haley could see the strain on Nathan's face as he tried to remain upright. He must've really leaned on it hard.

"I'm not going to let this stupid injury interfere with the rest of my life."

"You don't have to, but you do have to take it easy, Nathan."

"So we can't have sex now?"

"Not in here."

"Then let's go on the couch."

Haley jumped off of the counter and went toward the refrigerator. "Call me crazy, but I think the moment has passed. I think I'm just going to make something to eat."

Nathan scoffed. "Why am I not surprised? Your hormones strike again."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she fired back in an edgy voice.

"It means that trying to keep up with your mood swings is giving me whiplash. One minute you're hot and bothered and ready to go and the next you just leave me high and dry."

Haley placed her hands on her hips. "Did you ever think that I'm actually not in a bad mood right now? Maybe I just don't want to sleep with you because you're acting like a total ass!"

"Oh, so it's my fault?"

"Yes, it is. I know you're frustrated with your knee, but that doesn't give you the right to take it out on me whenever you feel like it," she retorted. "God forbid I actually care about your condition and don't want it to get worse." Haley opened the freezer and pulled out a carton of ice cream. She then grabbed a plastic spoon from one of the packages they'd gotten—they still had to go out and buy plate sets and silverware.

"Where are you going?" Nathan called as she headed toward the foyer.

"Away from you!"

* * *

Haley shoved another large spoonful of ice cream into her mouth as her other hand mindlessly tapped the keys of the piano. It was early in the evening, and the usual darkness had spread across the sky. Haley had been in that room for a few hours trying to avoid Nathan. Of all the things she'd pictured happening on the first day in their new house, she'd never expected a huge fight to ensue.

It was kind of depressing. Haley ate another mouthful of ice cream. It's all she seemed to be in the mood for today. She was already almost completely done with that first carton. Putting her spoon down, Haley's other hand returned to the piano. She played a soft melody that her father used to play for her when she was a kid. It always had a calming affect on her.

Haley didn't know where Nathan had gone. She heard the TV in the living room on for a few hours, but now it was turned off. There wasn't so much as a peep that could be heard in the rest of the house. She played for a little while longer before deciding that she was tired and just wanted to go to bed.

Haley walked into the kitchen momentarily to throw away the ice cream carton and clean the spoon. Afterward, she made her way upstairs. The light was already on in the bedroom, but there was no sign of Nathan. She changed into her pajama bottoms and top.

As she made her way toward the bathroom, it was then that she noticed the light flickering out from under the door. Haley knocked softly and called out, "Nathan."

"Hold on a sec," he replied.

While she waited, Haley went back toward her suitcase. She grabbed her toiletries and everything she needed to get ready for bed. A moment later, the bathroom door opened. Haley approached but immediately stopped in her tracks. "What is all of this?" she questioned in astonishment.

"It's my way of saying I'm sorry."

The gigantic bathtub was filled and covered in suds. Only a couple of soft lights were on. The rest were from tiny candles placed around the tub. Haley also saw a bottle and two wine glasses.

"Nathan…" Haley trailed off.

"I was a jerk earlier, and I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's our first day in our new house, and I know that having a fight isn't how either of us would want to remember it." Nathan gestured to the simple yet elegant setup. "I figured maybe we could start over."

Haley gave him a small smile. "I'd really like that."

"Good."

Nathan reached out a hand to caress her cheek as she stood on her tiptoes to give him a tender kiss.

"So, what's in the bottle?" Haley asked curiously. She didn't remember seeing it in their shopping cart. Nathan must've brought it from Seattle.

He smirked. "Sparkling cider. It's about the only thing either of us can drink anymore."

"Very nice." She eyed the bathtub again before turning back to him. "So, I guess we should get in before it gets cold."

"That would be good."

They both started to undress. Haley was done first and then helped Nathan. He was sitting down on the edge of the tub area, but it was still tricky for him.

"Do you need to take your knee brace off?"

"Yeah." Once it was off, Nathan carefully lowered himself into the tub first. Haley followed and made sure she was just as cautious not to hit his knee when she sat between his legs.

Nathan wrapped his arms securely around her once she leaned back against his chest. "Are you comfortable?"

"Definitely. Are you?"

"I'm fine. The hot water feels good."

"That's for sure," Haley sighed in contentment. She couldn't remember the last time she'd taken a bath just to relax. "This tub is a lot bigger than the one at the apartment."

"I can make it better." Nathan turned on the water jets.

Haley felt the bubbles massage her body. "Okay, this is officially my favorite part of the house."

"Hold on a sec." He shifted a little bit and grabbed the sparkling cider bottle. He opened the top and poured them both a glass.

"So, what vintage is this?" Haley teased.

Nathan read the bottle, "Best sold by February tenth."

"Excellent year," she joked, causing him to laugh.

"Only the best for my girl," he played along.

"Of course."

They clinked their glasses together in a mini toast and took a sip. They continued to drink while talking and joking around. A little while later, Haley put her glass aside and settled more into Nathan.

"You okay?"

"I'm just tired. I think I could fall asleep right here." Her body was so at ease at the moment. It was making her even sleepier.

Nathan rested his cheek against her temple. "Go ahead and sleep. I promise I won't let you drown," he joked.

"How comforting," Haley mumbled playfully. A second later she closed her eyes.

Nathan noticed her breathing become slower. He simply held her and enjoyed the moment. He was glad that he was able to make things right tonight. Nathan hadn't originally intended to lash out at Haley earlier. It was just hard dealing with the injury. Sometimes he was strong and thought that he could handle it. Other times he let his frustration and anger get to him.

Nathan couldn't wait until he got his surgery and started the rehab. At least he would feel like he was doing something instead of just sitting around the house all day reading magazines and watching TV. He felt bad for Haley, too. She was the one who had to take care of him. And it's not like she always felt good herself.

Lately he'd been wondering if he should hire someone. There was no way that Haley could continue to wait on him, drive him around to his appointments, and clean the house. It was too much to put on her. His mom, along with Keith and Karen, had offered to help, but there was only so much they could do.

Nathan knew that Haley hated the idea of someone else cleaning up after them, but this house was much bigger than their apartment. It would take a lot more work and upkeep. Maybe hiring a housekeeper was necessary at this point. At least until they left to go back to Seattle. By that point, the person could come back every now and then to make sure that the house stayed intact while they were gone.

The more he thought about it, the better it sounded. Nathan looked down at Haley and decided he'd tell her in a day or two. He'd make sure she was in a really good mood, too. If not, then she would probably dismiss the idea right away.

Nathan kissed Haley's head and caressed her skin. It was moments like these that were his favorite—when it was just the two of them together without any interruption from the outside world. He continued to kiss her lightly. He started with her cheek and went down to her neck and shoulder. Meanwhile, his hands proceeded to trail along her arms and down her waist. She felt so smooth and soft. He just couldn't stop touching her.

"Someone wants attention," Haley muttered, feeling something hard against her lower back. She smiled to herself. She had a pretty good idea of what it was.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I was starting to doze off. But not anymore thanks to Nathan Jr."

Nathan chuckled huskily in her ear. "Sorry."

"No you're not."

"What can I say? You being naked turns me on."

"It better," she murmured. He laughed again, and Haley opened her eyes. She turned to kiss the side of his jaw and ran her fingers along his arms that encircled her.

"Do you want me to stop touching you?"

She shook her head. "No."

Nathan smiled into her hair before kissing her cheek. Haley's eyes had closed, and she settled back into him. His hands started slowly. They stroked up and down her arms, leaving goose bumps on her flesh in their wake. They traveled down the sides of her curves. Nathan smirked when he felt Haley shiver slightly at his touch. He'd barely begun and already she was having a reaction. It only spurred him on further.

Carefully Nathan slid his hands back up her waist and let his fingers gently tickle her. He heard Haley giggle softly before she fidgeted a bit against him. Nathan kept his leisurely pace as his hands inched higher and higher. He paused just below the undersides of her breasts.

Haley's breath seemed to catch in anticipation but still he did not continue. Instead, Nathan returned to leaving soft kisses on her shoulder, cheek, and neck. He heard Haley mumble his name in a tone more of pleading rather than satisfaction. Nathan just drew circles with his thumbs on her waist, still not moving his hands any higher. He knew that he was teasing her, but that's what inevitably would rile her up. And there was nothing sexier than a fiery and passionate Haley.

Haley bit her lip to keep her cool. She was well aware of what her husband was doing, and she wished that she could say she hated him for it. But she didn't. He may be torturing her at the moment, but it still felt amazing. As hot and erotic as their fast couplings could be, sometimes she wanted nothing more than for him to take his time. Haley's whole body right now was on edge and trembling with expectation and desire.

Nathan continued to kiss her neck, and she let it go on for another moment. She turned her face toward him, lifted her hand, and placed it behind his head. Haley guided him down to her and gently grazed her lips against his. Meanwhile, she made sure that her fingernails ran through his hair and along his scalp. Nathan's eyes closed momentarily as he inhaled a ragged breath. Seizing the opportunity, Haley's tongue snaked out to trace the outline of his lips. A low groan sounded from deep inside his throat, causing her to smile inwardly in satisfaction.

The thrill of being in control didn't last long, though. A second later, Nathan had captured her mouth just as his hands rose up that extra inch. She practically purred as his hands began to massage her breasts. Since becoming pregnant, they'd become somewhat fuller and even more sensitive than usual—which she knew Nathan both enjoyed and was using to his advantage.

Their mouths and tongues clashed together in fervent kisses. Every now and then a whimper would escape both of them as Nathan's calloused hands squeezed and circled her pert and tender cleavage. Wanting to give her more, one of Nathan's hands left her chest and quickly trailed down her body.

Nathan felt Haley's whole form arch against him as his fingers caressed her center. Despite the water in the tub, he could feel how slick and ready she was for him. Her hands on his neck tightened as she writhed against him, urging him on.

"Nathan," the moan tore from her throat.

That was enough for him. He slid a long digit inside of her and practically hissed at the feeling of her tight heat wrapped around at least one part of his body. It made him wish it was another part of his anatomy, but they would get to that soon enough.

Haley's hips rocked in time with his finger before he added another. She felt like her whole body was coming undone as the knot in her stomach seemed to tighten. Coupled with his other hand still working her breasts and his mouth devouring hers, Haley began to shake as the waves of pleasure seemed to build up inside of her.

Nathan shut his eyes and tried to focus on giving his wife the release she so badly wanted. But it wasn't easy with her butt hitting his erection with every thrust of her hips. His fingers quickened their pace. She was so close. He could feel it. He crooked them upward at just the right moment and felt her contracting around them.

A loud whimper tore from Haley's throat as her orgasm washed over her. She was panting hard and trying to get herself back under control. She supposed that she should feel spent or complete but with Nathan's hardness poking into her lower back, Haley knew it wasn't enough. Not yet.

Nathan frowned when Haley started to get up. "Hales? What are you—"

She was facing him now and put a finger to his lips. She closed the tiny distance and kissed him with all of the need and passion inside of her.

"I want you," he mumbled without breaking contact. He took hold of her waist and guided her so that she was straddling him. Her thighs locked onto his hips as her tiny hands gripped his broad shoulders. Their kisses became visceral as their bare chests touched.

"Is this okay?" Haley muttered breathlessly as her lips left open-mouth kisses along his neck.

Nathan smirked. "Baby, it's more than okay." There was barely any space between them they were wound so tightly together. All she had to do was lower herself onto him a couple more inches, and he'd truly feel like he was in heaven.

"I meant your knee. Is this position bothering it?"

"It's fine."

Haley pulled back to look him in the eyes. She wanted the truth. It would be so like Nathan to dismiss something important at the cost of just being with her. "You're sure?"

Nathan's hand came up to caress her face and hair. "I'm positive. It really is fine, Hales."

She only looked at him for a couple more seconds before accepting his reassurance.

"Now can we finally do this?" he teased. "I've been waiting all day."

Haley grinned roguishly. "God forbid I make you wait."

"My point exactly."

She shook her head, laughing softly, before kissing him. She felt Nathan pulling her down on top of him the rest of the way. They both sighed in contentment once they were finally joined. Unlike before, they didn't tease or go slow. Everything about their coupling was rough and hasty. Haley was vaguely aware of some of the water spilling over the tub but didn't care. All she could concentrate on was Nathan's wandering hands and lips, along with the intimate and erratic movements of their lower bodies.

Nathan pulled her down hard on his upward thrust and almost lost it as he went deeper. Haley was going to kill him one day. He was sure of it. The way she moved with him and above him completely overwhelmed his senses. He'd never felt so connected and in sync with a woman in his entire life. And the connection only seemed to get better and stronger as time went on.

"I love you," he whispered lowly against her ear.

She removed her lips from his neck to look at him. They're gazes locked, and he was taken aback, like always, by the combination of emotion and intensity in her eyes. "I love you, too."

Their lips ravaged the other's and did not part until they'd at last come down for their high. Nathan rested his forehead against hers as they panted and tried to regain some much-needed oxygen.

"What?" he asked when he saw the little smile forming on her face.

Haley gave him one more chaste kiss before replying, "Well, that's one room down. Twelve more to go."

* * *

**"Feeling a Moment" Summary: **AU. Haley's always loved Nathan, but he barely knows she exists. When Haley decides to reveal her feelings in the Time Capsule, she never thought anyone would see it. That is until someone releases the Time Capsule early. Now everyone knows of her feelings, including Nathan. When tragedy strikes, will this revelation bring Haley and Nathan together or keep them forever apart?


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_**February 1, 2012  
**_

Haley pushed the shopping cart down the grocery aisle. She checked her list and noticed that she was about halfway done. She quickened her pace. Haley had a little bit more than usual to buy this week. Nathan had had his ACL surgery a couple of days ago, and she was doing everything she could to make him feel more comfortable. Unfortunately, he wasn't always the best patient.

The pain medication made him groggy and cranky. The doctor wanted him on bed rest for the first few days so he couldn't do much other than watch TV, which also sometimes put him in a bad mood. Nathan was never the type who liked to sit still. He always had to be doing something. But despite his low spirits, he'd been grateful and kind as she took care of him. That's all she could really ask for.

Haley glanced at the cereal boxes in front of her. _Should I get the healthy one or the one with marshmallows? Oh, what the hell_, she decided and threw the junk food one into the carriage.

She made her way up and down the rest of the aisles. Just as she was turning the corner of one, her carriage accidentally bumped into someone else's.

"Oh, excuse me," Haley apologized while looking up. She paused in recognition. "Whitey?"

The old man chuckled. "Hello, Haley. It's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you, too." They hugged. "How are you? It's been a while."

"Yes, it has. I'd heard you and Nathan were back in town."

"We are," she confirmed.

"And I'd also heard that you're pregnant. Congratulations."

"Oh, thank you."

"How long will you be in Tree Hill for?"

Haley shrugged. "Um, we're not completely sure yet. Definitely until the baby is born, but I've been missing Tree Hill. I'd like to stay longer."

"That's nice. When are you due?"

"August eighth."

"Very nice. But I must be getting old, because I never thought I'd see the day Nathan Scott would become a father," Whitey commented jokingly. "You didn't know Nathan when I coached him but let me just say that I hope the baby is more like you."

"Let me guess, he was really cocky."

"Among other things."

Haley laughed. "I hate to break it to you, Whitey, but I don't think that's really changed."

"No, I guess not," he said with a smile. "How's he doing with that knee of his? It must be tough for him."

"He's doing okay. He just had his surgery a few days ago. It is somewhat frustrating for him. I know he hates staying in bed and having to use crutches," Haley explained.

"I don't really blame him. After what that idiot did to him during that game, I'd be aggravated, too," Whitey said. "It was such a disgrace to the game."

"It was horrible," she agreed. "But at least Jerome got in some kind of trouble. He was suspended for the rest of the season."

"I would've booted him all the way out."

"Me, too. At least, that's what I would've preferred. But anyway, what have you been up to? Are you still coaching the Ravens?"

Whitey sighed. "Oh, yes."

"How are they doing?"

"Honestly, they stink."

Haley was surprised. She'd always heard from Nathan and Lucas that Whitey was a great coach. "Really?"

"Individually, most of them aren't very skilled—at least compared to the way Nathan and Lucas used to play. But I've got one player who's got tremendous talent."

"Well, that's good."

"You'd think so. The problem is he acts like an arrogant, selfish jackass most of the time. If he and the team could actually play together, they wouldn't be half bad."

"Aw, I'm sorry, Whitey."

He shrugged. "What are you gonna do?

"I know it's hard. Being a high school teacher myself, there's always at least one you try to reach out to and help. I'm sure you'll find a way to fix it."

"We'll see," he stated. "But tell Nathan I was asking for him. And when he's feeling better, maybe he can stop by my office for a visit. We need to catch up."

"I'll pass the message along."

"You're welcome to come, too."

"I'll probably have to. It's not like he can drive himself."

Whitey chuckled. "Good point. It was nice seeing you, Haley."

"You, too. Bye, Whitey." Haley gave him one last smile before they parted. She then quickly worked her way through the rest of the store. She was feeling a bit sleepy today. She just wanted to get everything they needed so that she could go home and take a nap.

A short while later, Haley was done at the checkout and made her way toward the SUV. She'd taken Nathan's Range Rover so that she could fit all of the groceries more easily into the trunk. Haley loaded up the car and shut the back. She turned around to put away the cart when something caught her eye. She saw a tall, dark figure standing about ten yards away, watching her. She did a double-take, but a second later he was gone.

Haley could've sworn that it was…she shook her head to dismiss the crazy thought. She was just overtired and seeing things. She finally put the carriage away and got into the SUV. It was time to go home.

* * *

Haley unlocked the front door to the house while balancing a bag of groceries in her other hand. She was beginning to dread all of the food she'd bought. Bringing it all in the house and putting it all away was always the tedious part.

She shut the door behind her and turned around. "AH," she yelped in surprise at seeing someone behind her. The bag went flying out of her hands and its contents spilled all over the floor.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Scott. I didn't mean to scare you."

Haley put her hand over her pounding heart as she tried to regain her breath. "Oh my God," she mumbled.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. I was just caught off guard."

"I'm very sorry."

"It's okay, Mariam. It's not your fault," Haley assured the older woman. Mariam was their housekeeper. Nathan had thought that it would be a good idea if they hired someone to take care of things around the house. At first Haley had been completely opposed to the idea. The thought of some stranger coming into their home and touching their things had always bothered her.

But Nathan had eventually convinced her that hiring someone at this point was necessary. The house was much bigger and required more upkeep than their apartment. Haley couldn't possibly do everything herself—especially in her condition. And it's not like Nathan could help out all that much with his injury. After a few long nights of discussion, she finally gave in to his request.

They'd conducted numerous interviews in order to find the right person. They didn't want to just hire anybody. With their amount of money and Nathan's status, they had to be careful about who they let into their home. Finding the right person seemed hopeless. Some applicants were either under qualified or just interested in the position to be close to Nathan. Haley remembered how some young blond woman had been gawking at Nathan the whole interview. Nathan had thought it was funny. Haley, however, was definitely not amused and had dismissed her as quickly as possible.

After what seemed like hundreds of interviews, they'd finally found Mariam. Not only did she have a lot of experience, but she also had some great references. She'd worked for many high-profile families in Tree Hill—including the mayor. She was a very nice woman, as well, and Haley had instantly taken a liking to her.

It felt a little weird at first not to have to do as much cleaning. Mariam handled mostly washing floors, windows, and other basic tasks. She even picked up their dry cleaning and Nathan's prescriptions from time to time. It gave Haley more time to rest and take care of Nathan. Of course, if Haley had to go somewhere, Mariam also volunteered to keep an eye on him for her. Needless to say, the woman had turned out to be a godsend. Now if only Haley could do well to remember that it wasn't usually just her and Nathan in the house anymore. Hence why she'd nearly had a heart attack when Mariam came up behind her.

"I was just going to ask if you needed some help with the groceries," Mariam stated.

"Yes, that'd be great. Thank you," Haley replied. She made a move for the door when Mariam halted her.

"I've got it."

"I'll help you."

"You shouldn't be lifting heavy bags in your condition."

"I'm perfectly capable of carrying a few bags into the house."

"Yes, but it's best not to push yourself. Trust me," Mariam said.

"But—"

"Besides, I'm under strict orders from your husband not to let you lift a thing. And I must say that I agree with him."

Haley rolled her eyes. That sounded like something Nathan would do. Ever since she'd gotten pregnant, he'd been treating her like she was some breakable China doll. He didn't want her doing anything that might put a strain on her or the baby.

"Maybe I better go have a talk with him," Haley muttered as Duke came bounding toward her. "Hey, buddy." She greeted him with a rub behind the ears.

She and Nathan weren't the only ones enjoying the new house. Duke loved the extra space. He'd wander around all day sniffing and exploring. He especially loved going outside in the backyard to run and get some fresh air. It was definitely an upgrade from their apartment where he was stuck inside all day.

"Good boy," Haley cooed as Duke nuzzled his face against her legs. "Come on, let's go see how Daddy's doing." She walked up the stairs with the dog trailing close behind.

"That bad, huh?" she heard Nathan's voice say. "…Damn, this sucks…Yes, I'm fine. Just sore. But it's to be expected."

Haley entered the room. Nathan grinned when he noticed her, and she returned the gesture. She adjusted the pillow under his leg as he continued talking on the phone. Meanwhile, Duke plopped in his bed in the corner of the room.

"Okay, thanks for letting me know…no, I want to know. I would've watched the game myself, but I've been a little out of it the past couple of days," Nathan said. "…Yes, I'm taking care of myself. And if I do something wrong, Haley's constantly here to yell at me. Does that make you happy…?" Nathan chuckled. "You suck, man…Bye."

"Who was that?" Haley questioned when he hung up the phone.

"Clay."

"What did he say?"

"He just called to make sure I'm okay. He was also filling me in on the team"

"How's it doing?"

"Not so good. Clay says that if they make the playoffs, he doubts they'll get that far."

Haley took a seat next to him on the bed. "I'm sorry, baby."

Nathan shrugged. "It's not like I can do anything about it now. I just feel bad for the guys. We worked so hard this season."

"I know." She stroked his cheek soothingly.

"Anyway, how was your trip to the market? You got back later than I expected."

"I had a lot to pick up. Oh, and I also ran into Whitey."

"Whitey? As in my old basketball coach Whitey?"

Haley giggled. "How many men named Whitey do you know?"

Nathan smirked. "Touché."

"Yes, it was Coach Durham," she said. "We talked for a few minutes. He congratulated me on the baby and was asking about your knee."

"That was nice."

"Yeah. And did you know that he's still coaching the Ravens, too?"

"No. Honestly, I thought he would've been retired by now."

"Nope. Not yet. He wanted you to stop by his office sometime when you're feeling better."

"I will. Definitely," Nathan stated. He had a lot of respect for his former coach. Not to mention gratitude for all of the hard work and training Whitey had put him through so that he could foster his talent. He'd also taught Nathan the true nature of the game—despite what some people around him growing up had tried to tell him.

"He also said that he hoped the baby was more like me," Haley teased.

"He would say that," Nathan chuckled. He brought his hand up to swipe a stray piece of hair out of her face. "But I don't blame him. I want the baby to be like you, too."

Haley blushed at the compliment and intent look he was giving her.

"Speaking of the baby, how are you feeling today?"

"Just tired."

"You haven't been sick? I know that all this running around and taking care of me has been hard on you."

"You don't have to worry. Aside from being tired today, I'm okay."

"You should take a nap," he said and patted down on the spot next to him.

"I can't. I need to help Mariam put away the groceries."

"Hales, she can do it. It's why we hired her."

"Which reminds me, I am perfectly capable of picking up grocery bags," she insisted. "Mariam doesn't have to do everything around here. I'm not going to hurt myself or the baby by doing normal tasks."

"Maybe not, but I feel better not having you do it."

"But—" she began to protest.

Nathan took one of her hands and gave it a squeeze. "Hales, just humor me. Please?"

"Okay, fine," she huffed dramatically. "But it doesn't mean that I like it."

"Never said you had to," he replied with a smirk. "Now get that sexy ass of yours over here and rest."

"Actually, I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I promised to call Brooke today."

"So call her later."

"She's making preparations for her new line, so she only has about an hour break. I've got to call her now."

Nathan sighed dramatically. "Fine. I guess I'll just sit here all by myself and watch some more TV."

"I'll come and check on you a little later," Haley promised. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips before leaving the room.

Nathan stared the TV as another rerun came on. He'd already seen this episode yesterday. "Being injured blows."

* * *

"Blow on that, Lily. It's hot," Karen warned as she placed a cup of hot chocolate in front of her. "Did you want anything else, Haley?"

"No, I'm fine for right now. Thanks."

"Okay. I'm going to check on some customers."

"I'll make sure that she's okay," Haley promised. She was at Karen's Café, sitting at the counter with Lily on her lap.

"Aunt Haley, I like this color," Lily declared while holding up the yellow crayon in her hand.

"I like it, too. I think her hair will look great."

Lily beamed at her approval and continued to color the picture in her book. She was so adorable. She would bite her lip or stick her little tongue out when she was completely focused on staying inside the lines. Haley smiled at the thought that moments like these would someday be in her future.

"You have to finish coloring yours," Lily reminded her.

Haley picked up a black crayon and returned her attention to her own picture. "How does that look?"

"Very good."

"Well, thank you," Haley replied with an affectionate squeeze.

Lily giggled in response and reached for her hot chocolate. Haley helped her with the cup and made sure that she didn't spill it or get burned.

"How are you girls doing over here?" Karen asked as she stepped behind the counter.

"Look, Mommy!" Lily exclaimed and held up her picture.

"That looks great, sweetie. Yours, too, Haley," she said with a playful smile.

Haley laughed. "Thanks. I think coloring is my true calling."

"I think so, too."

She quickly checked her cell phone.

"Did Nathan call?"

"No."

"I take it that's a good sign."

"Yeah. Deb's with him right now," Haley answered. Aside from running a few errands, Haley had spent most of the week at Nathan's bedside making sure he had everything that he needed. She'd planned on staying in the house some more that Friday afternoon when Deb came to visit. She suggested that Haley get out for a little bit and take a break. She would watch and care for Nathan while she was gone.

At first Haley had declined the offer. But Deb was insistent, so eventually she caved. Haley had then headed over to a few stores in town to find some things to decorate and put the finishing touches on the house. Afterward, she ended up at Karen's Café to visit and eat a late lunch. Karen had brought Lily with her today, since Keith had a full day at his auto shop. The café was packed. When she was done eating, Haley had offered to keep an eye on Lily while Karen worked. She'd been sitting at the counter with the tiny brunette ever since.

"It's been a couple of days since we talked. How's he been?"

"Good. He starts his first day of physical therapy next Monday, so he's excited about that."

"I'm sure he's sick of staying in bed."

"You have no idea," Haley laughed.

"Men really are the worst patients."

"You got that right."

"Aunt Haley, do you like the green or the blue?" Lily asked.

"I like the blue."

"Me, too."

Karen wiped down the counter. "You're so good with her."

"Thanks. I've always loved kids."

"It shows."

"By the way, I wanted to thank you for that doctor's number." Since she and Nathan were planning on staying in Tree Hill for a while, Haley needed to find another doctor.

"Did you call them?"

"Yes. I'll be going in for my regular checkup next week."

"That's good."

"Yeah. So how are things here and at Tric?"

"Very busy."

Haley looked around at the crowded café. "I can see that. I've been dying to see Tric, but I figured I'd wait until Nathan's better."

"Don't worry about it. Go whenever you're ready. Just let either me or Deb know, so we can get you some VIP passes. Although, seeing as though Nathan is who he is, I'm sure he could show up at the front door and get them."

"He does come in handy sometimes," she joked. All Nathan had to do was walk into an establishment and the staff would trip over themselves to accommodate him. They didn't always feel comfortable with the amount of fame he'd accumulated over the years, but it was times like that when they could enjoy it.

"Speaking of Nathan, I should probably get back to him."

"Okay. Just wait a minute. I'll give you some food to take home with you for him."

"That'd be great, Karen. I'm sure he's mad that I got to eat here while he's stuck at home," she joked.

"Give me a few minutes, and I'll be right back."

Haley nodded as Karen took off into the kitchen.

"Hey, you two."

Haley turned in her seat to see Keith standing behind them.

"Daddy!" Lily suddenly exclaimed and held out her hands for him.

"Hey, honey. Haley," he greeted.

"Hi, Keith. What are you doing here? I heard you were backed up at the garage."

"Things slowed down a bit, so I figured that I'd come here to eat and take a break."

"Color with me, Daddy," Lily requested.

"I thought that you were coloring with Haley."

"I want you."

"Oh, how quickly they turn on you," Keith teased, causing Haley to laugh.

She shook her head, unbothered. "It's okay. I'm leaving anyway. Karen is just getting me some food for Nathan."

"How's he doing?" He sat down on the stool next to her.

Haley caught up with Keith for the next few minutes while she waited for Karen. It wasn't long before the older woman returned from the kitchen with a bag in her hand.

"Here you are."

"Thank you."

"No problem, honey. Let me know if you need anything else or some help with Nathan. I'll come right over."

"Thank you so much, but you've done more than enough."

"Well, the offer stands if you change your mind."

Haley gave her a gracious smile and hugged her goodbye. It was at that moment when she gazed out the large windows at the front of the café. Across the street, on the sidewalk, was that same tall, dark, familiar figure she'd seen a few days ago. Haley stared with wide eyes in disbelief until a car passed by and suddenly the person was gone.

"Haley, what's the matter?"

The concern in Karen's voice caught her attention. "What?"

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You're a little pale. You look like you've seen a ghost."

Haley shivered at the comment before getting a hold over herself. She shook her head to clear away her troubled thoughts. She then gave Karen the most reassuring smile she could muster. "I'm sure it was nothing."


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"I am officially going crazy."

"Well, hello to you, too," Haley laughed as she shifted her cell phone next to her ear. She was sitting at the kitchen counter eating ice cream out of the carton. She'd just finished off some Chinese takeout a moment before. She'd had such a craving for it all day that she just had to order some.

"Do you know how much crap you have to go through when planning a wedding?"

"Um, yeah, I'm pretty sure I know a thing or two. And so should you considering you were one of the people to help me plan mine. What's up?"

"I've always had this set vision in my head. I've always known exactly how I've wanted my dress, flowers, the food, music, bridesmaid dresses, and so on."

"Okay…" She waited, perplexed, for Brooke to elaborate.

"Now I'm totally confused!"

"Why?

"Because there are just too many things to choose from. I had this set plan but then I see these other things and they're just so pretty that I start to doubt myself!"

"It's okay, Brooke, if you want to explore some other options."

Brooke huffed. "Not when these other options are screwing me up."

"I know you probably don't believe me right now, but everything is going to be fine. It's really overwhelming in the beginning, but you just have to go with your gut and narrow it all down. You'll feel better once you do."

"There's also the fact that Lucas and I have yet to set a date."

"Do you have some ideal dates you're thinking about?" she asked after swallowing another mouthful of her delicious mint mocha chip treat.

"Sort of. I've actually always wanted a fall wedding. I'm leaning toward October at the moment."

"Is that what Lucas wants?"

"He says that whatever I want is fine, but I know that he'd prefer to have it in December."

"Why December?"

"He figures that it'll be nice to have a wedding around Christmas time when everyone will be getting together for the holidays anyway."

"It sounds really nice, but since I know you so well, I'm assuming that's not something you'd want to consider."

"I'll admit that it sounds sweet and romantic, but I didn't really want my wedding to be around Christmas. It'll totally get blurred in with the holidays, and I want the focus on just us," she explained. "Besides, then we'd miss Christmas with everyone because of the honeymoon."

"Good point," Haley agreed.

"What do you think, Tutor Girl?"

"Honestly, I think you should go with October—especially if it's what you really want."

"But then there is also the start of the basketball season to consider. Lucas won't want to miss it."

"You could do a summer wedding this year."

"Too short a time to plan."

"Next year."

"I can't wait _that_ long."

Haley laughed at her friend's pouty tone.

"And there is no foliage during the summer. I love foliage. The leaves turning colors is so gorgeous. And there's this perfect site right in Tree Hill that I was thinking of."

"Where is it?"

"It's not too far from the Market Street Dock. You still get a view of the water and boats along with the tall trees. It really would be gorgeous during that time of year."

"Well, it sounds to me like you've made up your mind on at least a couple of things."

"That's if my mom doesn't brainwash me first."

Haley already knew where this was going. "What happened now?"

"I made the mistake of telling her some of my ideas, and she completely chewed them out. Not to mention that she hates Lucas to begin with. So you can imagine that she's less than thrilled that I'm marrying him."

"Screw what she thinks. You've always been really amazing at planning things, Brooke. And you also have impeccable taste. Don't let her ruin this for you," Haley advised. "It's your special day, and you should be able to do what makes you happy."

Brooke sighed. "I'm just so stressed already."

"Well, feel free to call me anytime. You were definitely there for me when I needed a breather. And it's not like I'm really busy at the moment."

"How is Tree Hill? Anything new going on?"

"Nothing much since the last time we talked. Aside from Nathan, I've just been enjoying the time off."

"It sounds so nice. I miss Tree Hill."

"You should come and visit."

"I wish I could. I'm just swamped at the moment between the wedding details and designing my new line."

"I can imagine."

"You know, I was thinking about opening a Clothes Over Bro's boutique in Tree Hill."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I know that it's not exactly fashion central, but it's still home. I think the town could use a little spicing up."

"If you want to open one then you should do it," Haley encouraged.

"Maybe I will once I'm done pulling the hair out of my head from the rest of the stuff I have to do."

Haley smiled to herself and checked her watch. "Hey, Brooke, I'm sorry to cut you short, but I've got to pick up Nathan."

"He's not home?"

"No. He's at physical therapy."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot he started it this week. How's it going?"

"He's sore and a bit swollen, but I know he's glad to get out of bed."

"Most guys love playing the injured person and having their woman wait on them."

"Not this one. I think he feels bad, since I'm pregnant. Plus he really wants to get back to playing basketball. It's his contract year, and it's important that he make a full recovery."

"Well, good luck. And keep me posted."

"Likewise. Remember, call me if you need any help or just to vent."

"I will, Haley. Thanks."

"Okay, bye, Brooke."

* * *

"Hi, baby," Haley greeted when Nathan opened the car door. She'd parked in front of the building so that he wouldn't have to walk as far. "Do you need some help?"

"No, I've got it." He sat down in the passenger's seat before placing his crutches on the backseat.

Once he shut the door, Haley started the car and got back onto the main road. "So, how was physical therapy?"

"Good. They have me doing these range-of-motion exercises. You'd think it'd be easy since they're pretty basic but…"

"Well, you just had surgery last week, Nathan. It's going to be tough."

"I know. It's just frustrating comparing what I could do before and what I've been reduced to now."

"Don't make comparisons then. You've been through a lot, and I'm really proud of you. I know you can do this," Haley encouraged and placed a soothing hand over his. "You're going to get it back. I know it."

Nathan gave her a small smile. "Thanks."

Haley returned the gesture before looking back at the road.

"So, um, are we heading home?"

"That's the plan. We've got to ice that knee. Remember the doctor said that you have to be careful of the swelling once you start rehab."

"I know."

She glanced over at him briefly. "Why am I sensing that a 'but' is coming?"

"Well, I was actually wondering if we could make a quick stop somewhere else before we go home."

"Where?"

"My high school. I wanted to see Whitey."

"Nathan," she began.

"Come on, Hales, please," he requested. "I've been cooped up in the house for weeks now. The only places I really get to go are the doctor's office and physical therapy." He couldn't deal with another day of being stuck in the house.

"I don't know."

"We'll ice it as soon as we get home. Hell, I'm sure Whitey might even have something there."

Haley opened her mouth to object but halted once she saw Nathan's pleading face. It was true that he hadn't been able to go out much lately. Maybe a short trip would make him feel better. She didn't want to give him more of a reason to sulk.

"Okay. Fine," she agreed.

"Thank you," Nathan said brightly.

"But just for a little while. I don't want you overdoing it."

"I promise I won't."

"The high school is in the opposite direction, right? I'm going to have to turn around."

"Actually, take this right up here. The road loops back. It'll take you straight there."

Haley did as Nathan instructed. Several minutes later, they were pulling up in front of Tree Hill High. She parked in the visitors lot.

"Are you sure we can be here? School's in session."

Nathan smirked. "You sound like such a teacher, Hales."

"That's because I am a teacher."

"It's fine. They'll let us in. I practically owned this place when I went here."

"Aren't we modest," Haley teased and got out of the car. She walked around to help Nathan. When he was ready, they made their way toward the front entrance. They had to sign in at the main office before they were allowed to proceed to the gym.

Nathan was thankful that there weren't many students roaming the halls. Most were in the middle of classes. There was no doubt in his mind that many of them would recognize him. As much as he usually enjoyed talking to fans, especially those from his hometown, he didn't feel up to it today. Not when he was reduced to his current condition.

"How much farther is the gym?"

"Just around the corner. But we're going into the boys locker room. That's where Whitey's office is."

"The locker room," Haley repeated. "They're not going to be…I mean I'm not going to see…"

Nathan smiled at the blush coloring her cheeks. "No. I don't think there are any naked guys in there at the moment."

"Oh. That's a relief."

"But there could be. I did always fantasize about being propositioned by a beautiful woman in a towel while I was in the shower."

Haley guffawed. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Is that a no?" he questioned with a mockingly sad and innocent look.

"That's a hell no," she quipped back with a grin of her own.

"Can't blame a guy for trying."

She giggled. "I guess not."

They reached the boys locker room and went inside. Like Nathan had said, it was empty. Haley followed behind him as he led the way to Whitey's office. The old man was sitting back in his seat with his eyes closed as some kind of fifties music played in the background.

"It's nice to see that you're still working hard," Nathan commented with a grin.

Whitey's eyes shot open at his voice. "Well, look who it is. I was wondering when you'd get around to seeing me. Although, I know it's not every day that a famous basketball star like yourself has time to visit."

Nathan shrugged and said jokingly, "My agent says it's good to visit the little people every once in a while."

"Nathan," Haley reprimanded.

Whitey just chuckled and stood up. "Like I told you, Haley, I hope the baby's like you."

"Ha ha," Nathan replied wryly before making his way over to the old man. The two hugged.

"Honestly, it's good to see you, boy."

"You, too. Haley told me that she ran into you at the supermarket. I was just waiting for a good time to come."

"Now's better than never. Why don't you take a seat? You should be off that knee."

"Um, Whitey, you wouldn't happen to have an ice pack or anything would you?" Haley asked while taking the seat next to Nathan

"We've got some in the doctor's office. Does he need one?"

Nathan opened his mouth to speak, but Haley beat him to it. "Yes. He just came from physical therapy, and he's supposed to ice his knee afterward."

"Sure, wait right here. I'll get one." He grabbed another chair and shoved it toward Nathan. "Put your leg up on that. I'm sure you have to keep it elevated, too."

"Thanks," Nathan mumbled and lifted his leg onto it with the help of Haley.

Whitey returned shortly and handed him the ice pack. "Here you go. Don't get used to me waiting on you, though."

Nathan smirked. "You know, I've dreamed of this day…"

"Oh, brother," Whitey muttered with a roll of his eyes.

Haley laughed while watching the two of them. Whitey sent her a wink as Nathan smiled in her direction.

"So, why exactly did you want to see me?" Nathan questioned after they sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"I just wanted to catch up and see how you were doing."

"I'm okay…considering."

"Haley filled me in. It's good that you've started physical therapy."

"Yeah, I like getting out of the house for a few hours." He turned to Haley. "No offense."

She dismissed it, knowing what he meant. "I guess lying in bed, watching TV, and playing videogames is only fun for so long."

"I never thought I'd get so sick of it."

"It stinks. There's no question about that," Whitey stated.

"How are things here with the team?"

"What did Haley tell you?"

Nathan shot a glance at Haley and shook his head. "She didn't tell me anything."

Haley blushed at being put on the spot. She'd totally forgotten what Whitey had said about the team.

"Don't worry. It's nothing major," Whitey cut in and gave her a small smile. "It's just that the team's not doing so well."

"It's not?"

"No. I hate to say it, but they're awful. I mean, they could be something if they all worked together. But it's just not happening."

"Why aren't they working together?" Nathan asked curiously.

"Not many of them are that skilled. At least not at the level your team was when you were here. And the best player we have, unfortunately, has an attitude problem," Whitey explained. "Kind of reminds me of someone else I used to know. Maybe even worse."

Nathan didn't miss Whitey's pointed look toward him. "Okay, I admit that I was a pain in the ass at first. But this kid can't be that bad."

"Trust me, he is. He won't cooperate at practice, he hogs the ball, has a big ego…all that good stuff."

"Sounds like it," Haley muttered.

"His grades are also slipping. He might actually get thrown off of the team for his GPA rather than his attitude problem."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out. But I've got a couple of ideas."

Nathan waited for Whitey to continue when he noticed that the old man was still staring at him. It took a moment for Nathan to realize the meaning behind that look. "Oh, no."

"Yes."

"No," he said with a shake of his head.

"Yes."

"What's going on?" Haley interrupted, confused. There was some type of exchange going on between Nathan and Whitey that she didn't quite understand.

"I'm in no position to talk to anyone right now," Nathan declared. He was never the teaching or mentoring type. And with his injury, who the hell would want to take advice from him.

"Nathan, you can relate to this kid. You were almost the exact same way in high school. Not to mention that you're one of the biggest players in the NBA. All of these kids look up to you. I think talking to you would do them some good."

"B-but I…I…" he stammered.

"It would also give you a chance to get out of the house more often," Whitey added.

Nathan looked to Haley but could already see the wheels turning in her head.

"It's not a bad idea, Nathan," she agreed. Haley knew how much Nathan's fans, especially the young ones, looked up to him. He was a role model whether the idea was completely comfortable to him or not yet.

"I…" he began, at a loss for words.

"Just think about it," Whitey interrupted. He then turned to Haley. "And you…"

"Me? What about me?"

"I had a little request for you, too."

She frowned, weary. "What is it?"

"The school is a bit short-staffed at the moment. Several faculty members are retiring while a couple are moving away. So some of the teachers are taking on extra classes to bridge the gap."

"Okay…"

"Which has resulted in there being a lack of teachers available at the Tutoring Center for the kids to see. There are some students there, too, but not all of them are equipped to deal with their peers."

"I think I see where this is going," Nathan mumbled.

Whitey ignored him and continued, "They could sure use the help. I know that you used to be a tutor even before you were a teacher. You've got the experience and background to work with these kids and help them."

"I don't—"

"Especially with my star player. Like I said, his grades are slipping. He needs a serious boot in the ass, and I think you're just the woman to give it to him."

"But—"

"And I know that you're pregnant, but this isn't a full-time job. I already spoke with Principal Turner, and you don't have to come every day. Just a few times a week for a few hours."

"You spoke with Principal Turner already."

"I just mentioned your name, and he said that if you're interested to give him a call," Whitey explained. "I know you need some time to think about it, so he'll wait until Monday for you to make a decision."

"Look, Whitey—" Nathan began.

"The way I see it is that you're both very talented individuals. And seeing as though you're injured and you're not working right now"—he looked between Nathan and Haley—"you've got some time on your hands. And an old man like myself sure could use all of the help he can get."

"But—" Haley tried again.

Whitey shushed her. "Like I said, go home and think about it. I don't need an answer until Monday." He smiled at their dumbstruck faces. "I know you'll do the right thing."


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

_**February 15, 2012**_

"I can't believe that I got guilt-tripped into doing this."

"_We_ got guilt-tripped," Haley corrected. She readjusted her shirt and pants. It was almost a week ago that they'd visited Whitey and he'd requested—more like persuaded—them to help him at the school.

She and Nathan had talked it over during the weekend. Eventually they decided that it couldn't hurt. Neither had anything to lose by working with the teens. So Nathan had made a call to Whitey and Haley to Principal Turner a couple of days ago to tell them their decision.

Yesterday Haley went in for a brief interview. Principal Turner showed her around the school and explained the protocol of the Tutoring Center. During the tour, Haley couldn't help but feel excited. She'd always loved school and tutoring before she became a teacher. Her favorite part was explaining something difficult or confusing to a student and then suddenly seeing him/her understand it. Tutoring offered that one-on-one time that couldn't be achieved in a classroom.

It had been about almost two months since Haley had gone on sabbatical from her other job. She'd been so preoccupied with the new house and taking care of Nathan that she'd forgotten how much she missed teaching. Maybe Whitey was actually doing her a favor and not the other way around.

"Do I look okay?"

Haley looked over at Nathan as they got out of the car and smiled.

"What?" he questioned at her amused expression.

"Nathan, you are this big-time NBA star and you're worried about a few high schoolers."

He glanced down at the ground and sighed. "I'm not worried. I'm just…" Nathan couldn't believe he was letting himself get all worked up like this. He never got this nervous. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd felt this way.

Haley walked around the car. She wrapped her arms around his waist and lifted on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. "I know you feel weird because you're injured and on crutches. You don't feel like your usual self," she stated. "But if anything, you'll probably inspire these kids to really push themselves to be better. You've been where they are now. And if you can do it, then so can they."

Nathan rubbed her back and gave her a small smile. "You're really good at the pep talks, you know that?"

"I am a teacher."

Nathan touched his lips to hers once more in a long, slow kiss. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Haley replied. She fidgeted slightly before adding, "Now I have a question for you."

"What?"

She unbuttoned her coat. "Do I look fat in this outfit?"

"What?" Nathan laughed.

"I'm serious."

Nathan looked up and down her figure. Haley was wearing a light pink blouse and gray pinstripe pants. Despite her bust being a bit larger and the tiny baby bump that was not yet all that noticeable, she didn't look too different. But even with the changes he still thought she looked amazing.

"You look beautiful."

"Nathan—"

"You asked for my opinion, and I'm giving it to you," he interjected. "You look beautiful, Hales."

She blushed slightly while she re-buttoned her coat. "Well, if you're sure," she mumbled.

He smirked, kissed her forehead, and gestured for them to enter the building. Unlike the last time they'd visited, the halls were not empty. Students were rushing around as they prepared to leave for the day. It wasn't until they'd gotten about halfway down the main hall that people started to noticed them—or Nathan, rather.

Students and teachers stopped what they were doing as they whispered to their peers and colleagues in shocked and excited tones. Nathan smiled at a few awestruck students. One girl in particular accidentally dropped her books on the floor as she gaped at him.

"Still breaking hearts, I see," Haley whispered in bemusement.

Nathan shook his head and rolled his eyes at her. "Will you be coming to the gym?"

"No. I'm going straight to the Tutoring Center. I've got to get my roster of tutees and get settled."

"When will you be done?"

"Well, I'm not exactly tutoring anyone today. I'm just going to look through their charts and see what I'm working with."

"Okay, I don't know what time practice ends. It used to be quarter past four when I went here."

"Just call me, and I'll meet you in the gym."

"I'll see you later."

She patted his arm before taking off in another direction. Nathan continued to hobble along toward the gym as more students stopped to stare. A couple of minutes later he finally made it. He could hear Whitey's whistle blowing and the old man's shouting. It brought back a lot of memories.

The team was lined up on the sidelines as Whitey walked back and forth lecturing them. They couldn't see Nathan yet. He was still behind them.

"…and we're going to do it right this time. Practice will now be every day, and you'll be working your asses off. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of coaching a team that loses."

"Why are you looking at me?" a tall, dark-skinned kid retorted. "It's not my fault—"

"Enough with the excuses, Quentin. You're just as much to blame for this crummy season as the rest of the guys here."

"I'm the best player you've got!"

"And the most selfish one at that," he retorted. "You've almost single-handedly run this team into the ground with your ball hogging and glory shooting. But that ends now. You're all either going to learn to work together as a team or fail trying. The choice is up to you."

The guys murmured amongst themselves.

"Lucky for you, I've brought in an old friend of mine to help set you on the right path," Whitey declared. "Nathan, would you like to join us?"

The team's heads whipped around. Eyes widened and jaws dropped as they stared at him. Much like the others before, they were completely shocked by his presence.

"No way," Quentin muttered.

Nathan made his way over to Whitey. The gym door opened, and they all turned to see a large group of students enter.

"Holy crap, it's true!" one kid exclaimed. "Nathan Scott is actually here!"

"Awesome," another girl said.

"What is going on?" Whitey called.

Another boy stepped forward. "We were just wondering if we could get some autographs and pictures."

"This is basketball practice, not an autograph session. Everyone out," Whitey ordered. The students started to protest. "NOW!"

The group grumbled in disappointment and annoyance as they slowly but surely left. Nathan bit back a smile. They looked almost as excited as he did when he was five and had met his basketball idol, Michael Jordan. Maybe he could hold some sort of signing at the school for the students before he returned home to Seattle.

"You're going to helps us?" a medium height blond boy asked once the gym was quiet again.

"Damn," Quentin laughed. "That's sick."

"Nathan." Whitey gestured for him to say something.

Nathan inhaled deeply before beginning. "As I'm sure most of you already know, I was a former Raven. Whitey was my coach. If you need any further credentials, you can take a look at my jersey hanging on that wall, that banner above your heads that proclaims my team the state champions, or my scoring averages in the record books. Or just turn on the TV to see one of my previous games in the NBA playoffs with the Seattle Sonics. Needless to say, I've got a lot of experience. And since I'll be in town for a while, Whitey has asked me if I'd like to give you boys some pointers."

"Will you be at practice with us every day?" another player spoke up.

"Not every day, but a few times a week," Nathan answered. "But before I can help you with anything, I need to know your names, positions, and to see how you play."

"Let's go down the row," Whitey instructed.

Each of the players stepped forward to introduce themselves and state their positions. Nathan paid extra special attention to Quentin, since Whitey had singled him out specifically.

"Quentin Fields—point guard and best player on this team. Also the person who's going to break your record."

Nathan smirked. Whitey hadn't been exaggerating when he said Quentin was cocky. But being like that himself once, Nathan knew how to handle it. "We'll see about that. From what I've heard, you guys can barely get through one game."

Quentin didn't say anything further. He just smiled challengingly. The rest of the guys identified themselves. Afterward, Whitey blew his whistle and ordered the guys to start their suicides. Nathan watched carefully, critiquing each player's speed and endurance. He had to admit that Quentin was at the top of the pack.

Once their drills were completed, the guys played a practice game. Nathan took notes on the clipboard that Whitey had handed to him. Again, Nathan had to admit that Quentin was a hell of a player. The way he maneuvered on the court was quite impressive. But Nathan could also see the boy's weakness. As Whitey had said, Quentin controlled and dominated the court, which put the team at an overall disadvantage.

Nathan checked his watch. Practice would be over soon. He texted Haley to meet him and returned his attention to the rest of the game.

"Yeah, baby!" Quentin cheered as he slam-dunked the ball.

"Quentin, I told you to pass it to Aaron," Whitey yelled.

"It's all good, Coach. I still made the basket."

"That's not the damn point. How many times do I have to tell you to stop hogging the ball?"

"It was a good move. Nathan agrees with me, right?"

Nathan opened his mouth to disagree when he noticed Haley enter the gym. They all turned to look at her, curious to see the new visitor.

"_Damn_," Quentin muttered, his eyes raking over her.

Nathan turned sharply to look at him. Now he could see why Whitey got so fed up with him. This kid really was a punk.

"Hey," Haley greeted him and Whitey. "How's it going?"

"Perfect timing," Whitey commented. He called the boys over. "There's someone else important I'd like you to meet."

"Me first," Quentin said, still watching her.

Nathan bit his tongue and tried not to let his annoyance at Quentin's perusal of his wife show. Haley, however, seemed to notice his latent agitation and gave him a questioning look. He just shook his head discretely.

"This here is Mrs. Scott—Nathan's wife. She is the new teacher over at the Tutoring Center," Whitey stated. "In addition to you boys improving your game, you must also improve your grades."

A small chorus of groans sounded from the players.

"Now, not all of you need the help. But the few that are in danger of failing and getting kicked off of the team will be seeing her."

"Sounds good to me," Quentin muttered under his breath.

"Trust me, this isn't something you should be happy about," Whitey snapped.

"It's great to meet all of you," Haley interrupted, trying to appear positive. She could sense an underlying tension in the gym. Her guess was that practice hadn't gone all that well. "I know that sometimes certain subjects can seem boring and difficult, but I'm going to try to make it as painless as possible. I promise."

"Mrs. Scott already has your names. Those of you that need extra help will report to the Tutoring Center to set up a schedule with her. This is mandatory, not optional," Whitey specified. "Now hit the showers. You guys stink."

"See you soon, Mrs. S," Quentin said to her with a boastful smirk and wink, making a few of the other guys snicker.

Nathan clutched his crutches tightly and called out to Quentin. He and a couple of his friends turned around. "When your coach tells you to pass the ball, you pass the ball. Next time you might not get so lucky with that shot."

Quentin didn't say anything. Instead, his smile only widened.

* * *

Haley checked her watch and sighed. Quentin was late. He'd signed up for a tutoring session with her that afternoon but had yet to show up. She'd been looking over his chart for the past couple of days and from what she could tell, they both had a lot of work cut out for them. Quentin was close to failing almost all of his classes. English was actually the worst. He already had a borderline F in that class.

From what Nathan had told her yesterday after practice, Quentin was very cocky boy who had a problem with authority. He'd explained how he dominated on the court and would often defy Whitey. Therefore, she was prepared for the worst when it came to getting him to do his schoolwork. But she'd dealt with difficult students before.

Hell, Nathan had once been cocky and pigheaded and she'd handled him just fine. Haley smiled at the memories of them in college. They'd had so many fights before they were married. They'd last for days since neither one wanted to admit that they were wrong. But despite the tension, it had all been just one big misunderstanding. There had been so much more to Nathan than she'd originally thought. She was going to try to keep an open mind with Quentin.

The door of the Tutoring Center banging open caught her attention. She and various others looked up at the loud disruption. Haley couldn't say she was surprised when she saw Quentin strut on in with a smirk on his face. He glanced around and eventually caught sight of her.

"Hello, Mrs. S," he greeted with what he probably thought was a charming smile.

"You're late."

"I mixed up the times. I thought our session was later."

"Sure you did," she said, unconvinced.

He chuckled. "You don't believe me?"

She met his gaze directly. "No, considering you don't look all that perturbed by it."

"'Perturbed'? What's that?"

"I guess we'll be starting on English first, then," she quipped.

"What?"

"Never mind. Our sessions start at two-thirty sharp. If you're late again, then we'll really have a problem."

"Well, I like a woman who gets right to the point."

Haley stared at him, un-amused, and opened his file. "So I see that you've been struggling in all of your classes. I figured we'd start with English today, since apparently that's the one you're having the most trouble in. Then for the last fifteen minutes we'll tackle a little bit of Algebra II."

"Whatever you like, Mrs. S."

"Just take out the book you're reading for English. It's _Othello_, right?"

He did as instructed and nodded.

"According to your teacher, you're dissecting some of the play's themes in class for an upcoming paper."

"Yeah."

"Have you identified any specific ones yet?"

"Nope."

"Have you even read the play?"

"I don't remember. What's it about again?"

"Quentin, be serious."

"I am serious. It's just a jumble of old, out-of-date words. It doesn't even make sense. I'm just going to go on SparkNotes and look it up."

"Quentin, you can't just go on SpartNotes. Not if you want to pass any of your tests and write a good paper," Haley stated. "You have to understand the plot and meaning behind the words."

"I prefer to focus on the present." He watched her intently.

Haley resisted the urge to squirm at his probing gaze. She could not let Quentin think that he was making her impatient or uncomfortable, which, unfortunately, he was.

"Why don't we start reading this together," she suggested, trying to get him back on track. "Maybe we can try and clarify some of the wording for you."

"Read on, Mrs. S," he urged.

"Actually, you'll be doing the reading." She opened his book and placed it in front of him. "Starting now."

He grinned over at her briefly before starting to read the opening act. Every now and then Haley would help him pronounce some of the wording and stop him to explain what it meant.

"So, basically, this black dude Othello marries some white chick named Desdemona?"

"Yes."

"And she's in love with him, but Iago starts to make Othello doubt that?"

"Yes."

"I can see that."

"Good," Haley stated, pleased. "It's starting to make sense."

"I meant I get why she went with Othello. You know what they say, Mrs. S. Once you go black, you never go back."

Haley stared at him, slightly taken aback by his words and the way his eyes seemed to roam over her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "What?"

"I guess you never heard that one before, huh?" She opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. "Which I'm sure means that you've never actually tried it."

"Quentin, this is not an appropriate conversation," she softly reprimanded while looking around to make sure no one had heard him. Never in all her years of tutoring or teaching had she ever had a student speak to her this way.

"Why, Mrs. S, are you actually blushing?" he taunted.

"I am not blushing. Frankly, I'm offended. I'm a teacher, not some teenage girl you can try to make passes at. And I'm married," she added.

"You may be a teacher, but I'm willing to bet that you've got a wild side. It's always the uptight and proper ones that surprise you. And as for the married part, I'm really good at keeping a secret," he finished in a whisper.

Haley felt her entire face heat up with anger. She honestly could not get over the nerve of this kid. "This session is over," she declared and began packing her things.

"Where are we going?"

"'We're' not going anywhere. I'm going home to my husband. As for you, I suggest that you lose the attitude and find some manners before our next session, because this type of behavior is unacceptable."

"Maybe you should just punish me. I heard that spanking is most effective," Quentin said, laughing.

Haley bit her lip to keep herself from saying something she would regret and just glared at him. She then hastily swung her tote bag over her shoulder and left the room.

* * *

"It was unbelievable! I almost died of shock. I mean, what kind of a kid hits on a teacher?"

"A jackass," Nathan muttered as he watched Haley pacing back and forth in the kitchen. In one hand was a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream while the other flailed around in exasperation.

"It was so inappropriate and just plain uncomfortable. You should have heard the things he said to me."

"It's probably better if I didn't," he murmured to himself under his breath. He wasn't even in the room the time it happened, but Nathan could feel himself becoming just as infuriated. It was bad enough when Quentin was leering at her in the gym a couple of days ago, but this crossed a line.

"I actually felt dirty or like I was doing something wrong," she continued to ramble. "Which is totally not true, because I wasn't doing anything wrong. All I was doing was trying to teach the kid _Othello_."

"Haley," he tried to get her attention. She just kept going.

"Okay, so maybe the content itself can be racy at times, but it's not like it's overt. Quentin didn't even know what the words meant half the time. And maybe it's frustrating but that doesn't mean he can make himself feel better by hitting on me."

"Haley."

"How on earth am I supposed to tutor him after this?" she asked to no on in particular. "I may be an educator, but my patience isn't what it used to be. I'm tired and hormonal, and I swear I can't be held responsible for what will happen if he does it again."

"He's not going to do it again," Nathan assured her.

She finally turned to look at him. "You can't guarantee that."

"Whitey can. I'm calling him tonight."

"Do you think that will work?" She sat down next to him at the island and stabbed at her ice cream.

"I think it will. He's Quentin's coach. He's dealt with him longer than we have. But if for some reason the problem doesn't get fixed, then Quentin and I are going to have a little chat ourselves."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"Wise or not it's going to happen. There is no way in hell he's going to do that to you again," Nathan declared. "I don't care if you have to quit and he fails. It's not worth it."

"I wouldn't quit. I have other students I'm tutoring. They've been fine."

"Well, you won't be tutoring Quentin. And if for some reason that's not possible, then I'll sit in on the sessions myself."

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. Nobody, and I mean _nobody_, talks to you like that and gets away with it. Not with my wife." He reached over and took her spoon to get some ice cream for himself.

A smile tugged at her lips as his words warmed her heart. He was always trying to protect her. She placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

His face turned just enough so that their lips could gently touch. "You're welcome."


	18. Chapter 17

**Thank you all so much for the reviews last chapter. I loved reading them. Since I'm snowed in for the day, I figured I'd take this opportunity to update. So please read and tell me what you think!**

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****Chapter 17**

"I don't get this."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not."

"It's a work in progress."

"I just don't understand these theories. I never will. And it's not like I need them. I'm lucky if I even finish high school."

Haley looked at the dejected expression on the boy's face and tried to get him to meet her steady gaze. "Jack, don't say that. You will graduate."

Jack was one of her regular tutees who wasn't on the basketball team. Haley's first impression of him when they met was that he was a very sweet boy. Sweet and intelligent. He was often hard on himself and became frustrated when he didn't understand a concept or assignment. But Haley could see the potential.

It didn't take long for her to figure out that Jack's academic problems stemmed more from a rough home life rather than a lack of aptitude. She'd been tutoring him for the last couple weeks. He didn't talk much about his life, but she'd heard from one of the other teachers that his parents had died in a car crash a few years ago. Jack now lived with his older sister, who was his sole guardian.

Jack never mentioned it, but Haley assumed they were having money problems. She'd noticed that some of Jack's clothes were a little too small and had holes. It was also hard to schedule their meetings, since he worked so often. It was easy to see how school was placed on the back burner. But Haley was determined to prevent him from falling too far behind.

"I wouldn't bet on it."

"You still have time to raise your grades. I'm going to help you. It's what I'm here for."

He sighed and rubbed his hands over his eyes.

"Look, why don't we go over this one more time and see if we can make sense of it."

"You already explained it two times."

"I know. But I'm going to try a different approach. Maybe it'll be third times the charm."

Jack shrugged. "I guess."

Haley gestured for him to look back down at the geometry book laid out in front of them. She began to explain the theory again to him in even simpler terms. Afterward, he tried a couple of problems.

"So?" he prodded as she looked over the paper he'd handed to her. "Did I get them right?"

"The first two are correct. The third one is a little off."

"Great," he muttered dismally.

"But it's progress. Why don't we call it a day."

He looked at her in surprise. "Really? You're letting me go early?"

"Yes. It's only a few minutes, and we've covered a lot today. Sometimes it's best to just let things sink in and then go back to it later on."

"Works for me."

"Okay. So I'll see you again on Wednesday. We'll pick up where we left off."

"Sure. Bye, Mrs. Scott."

"Bye, Jack," she called after him.

Haley checked her watch. She had about fifteen minutes before her next session started. She checked her schedule and noticed that it was with Quentin. She inwardly cringed. Although it had been a little over a week since their first disastrous session, not much had improved. Quentin was still cocky and difficult. He never seemed to take what she was trying to teach him seriously. At least he wasn't hitting on her anymore. Whitey had made it perfectly clear during their little chat that that sort of behavior was unacceptable—for which she was thankful.

Haley felt her stomach growl. She'd only eaten lunch a few hours ago but was suddenly hungry again. She put a hand to her rounded stomach. Her baby bump wasn't huge, but she was starting to show a little more than before.

When Haley's stomach gurgled again, she decided she should get a snack before Quentin arrived. She stood up and grabbed her purse and coat off the back of her chair. She had a granola bar back in the car. She wasn't in the mood for any of the junk food in the nearby vending machines. Haley was trying to eat healthily for her and the baby.

She walked down the corridor to the front doors of the school and out into the faculty parking lot. She took out the car keys and unlocked the door on the passenger's side. She remembered Nathan shoving the bar and a couple other snacks into the glove compartment right before they left the house.

"Gotcha," Haley mumbled. She dropped the bar into her purse, shut the door, and locked the car again.

She turned around to head back into the school when she jumped and let out a loud shriek at the person standing behind her. She hadn't even heard anyone approach. Haley stared into the blue eyes of the tall, stocky man before her and felt an involuntary shiver go up her spine.

She thought she'd been imagining things all of those times before. This couldn't be happening.

"Mr. Scott?" Her voice came out barely above a whisper.

"Hello, Haley."

* * *

"You see that there," Whitey pointed out.

"Yeah. The pass was too late," Nathan observed, watching the TV screen. He and Whitey were reviewing the recent game tapes. The team was still struggling. They'd lost another game last weekend.

Whitey rubbed his eyes and ran his hands over his bald head. "I'm getting too old for this."

"You always used to say that."

"Now I actually mean it."

"We'll just have to push them harder," Nathan declared. "They're too soft."

"That's not the problem. It's the morale. The guys just don't see the point in trying—not when Quentin takes over everything."

"Maybe we could have him sit out longer in the next game."

"I'm thinking suspension, actually."

Nathan stared at the TV screen again, at a loss for words. It seemed no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn't get Quentin to understand the concept of being part of a team. They were running out of options.

"For how long?"

"A few games."

"There aren't many left until the playoffs. Are you sure that's wise? You said yourself that he's the best player." Nathan was certainly not a fan of Quentin, but the kid did have talent.

"I know that, but I can't have anyone playing selfish and getting away with it. What kind of message does that send to the other guys? To the other teams? It's as if he's coaching me, not the other way around."

"It's your decision in the end. If you feel it's right then do what you got to do."

"Or maybe you could talk to him."

"I already have."

"You've talked to the team. Not to Quentin alone."

"I'm not so sure that's the best idea." Nathan could deal with Quentin when he was with the team as a whole. Individually, he wasn't so sure he would have the patience to deal with his attitude.

"I know you're pissed about what he did to Haley before, but she said that he hasn't said or done anything inappropriate since then. We got through to him about that."

"You," Nathan corrected. "You got through to him."

"Nathan, I didn't just ask for your help with practices and games. I need you to connect with these players on a more personal level—Quentin in particular."

"I'll think about it."

Whitey gave him a look just as a knock sounded on the office door.

"Come in," Whitey called.

"Hey," Haley greeted and walked inside.

"What's up?" Nathan questioned.

Whitey leaned forward onto his desk and checked his watch. "Aren't you supposed to be in the middle of a tutoring session with Quentin right now?"

"Yes. He never showed up."

Nathan heard Whitey curse under his breath before his gaze returned to him. His look was pleading.

"Fine," Nathan relented, knowing there was no way he could get out of it. Not after this newest development. "I'll try and talk to him."

"Thank you."

"He was my last appointment today," Haley spoke up. "So we can go whenever you're ready."

Nathan looked to Whitey. The older man shook his head. "Go ahead. I'll finish watching these tapes myself."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Go home with your wife. She looks like she's about ready to jump out of her skin if she doesn't get out of here."

Nathan took a good look at Haley and realized that Whitey was right. Haley did seem sort of anxious. She was biting her lip and twisting her wedding band around her finger.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she answered quickly. Too quickly if you asked him.

"You sure?"

"Mm-hm."

"It was probably a long day. Go home. Have a nice dinner and relax. I'll see you both on Wednesday."

"All right." Nathan reached for his cane. Although he looked like an old man using it, it was better than the crutches. His physical therapist thought he was making enough progress to be without them. However, Nathan wasn't completely ready to walk on his own just yet. It was a long and painful process but walking by himself was his main goal.

When he was ready, Nathan motioned for Haley to lead the way. They walked to the car in silence, which continued on the ride home.

Nathan observed Haley carefully. She was still biting her lip. "Are you upset about Quentin not showing up?"

"No. Well, a little."

"It's not your fault, Hales."

"I know."

"So what's wrong?" He noticed her hesitation.

Haley thought back to her encounter with Dan earlier and felt her stomach become queasy. Nathan had been doing so well lately with his recovery and physical therapy. The whole point of returning to Tree Hill was so that he could relax. This new development with Dan would most certainly compromise that.

"Hales," Nathan urged. "You have that look."

"What look?" she stalled as the car pulled up into the driveway.

"That look when you want to tell me something but you don't really want to tell me."

She exhaled loudly. "Okay, there is something I need to tell you."

"Which is?"

"Let's just get you inside the house first—and preferably sitting down."

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like this?"

* * *

"WHAT?"

Haley cringed at Nathan's outburst. She knew that he wasn't going to take the news about her encounter with Dan very well. "You promised you'd stay calm."

"Yeah, well, I lied."

"Nathan."

"I can't believe this." He grabbed his cane and stood up from the couch. Haley watched as he paced back and forth. "When the hell did this happen?"

"Just before my tutoring session with Quentin. I'd gone out to the car to get a quick snack and then Dan was right there."

"Did he do anything to you? What'd he say?" Nathan questioned. He couldn't believe that this was actually happening right now.

"He just kind of asked me how things were going."

"That's it?" His tone was full of disbelief.

"He also asked about you and…"

Nathan prodded her anxiously. "And?"

"And the baby," she answered.

"What'd you tell him?"

"I told him that neither were any of his concern and to leave us alone."

"What'd he say after that?"

"He kind of just nodded and left."

"Why didn't you come to me after that?" he demanded.

"Because I had a tutoring session and you were with Whitey."

"Haley, I don't give a damn what I was doing. If my father ever approaches you, I want you to come tell me immediately. You got that?"

"Nathan—"

"I mean it, Haley. I know how he operates. He wouldn't have come to you unless he wanted something, and I can guarantee that he'll be back."

Haley fiddled with her hands. She had to tell him about all of the other times that she saw Dan. But he was already so upset at the moment. This was really going to make him explode. "Um, Nathan," she tried to get his attention. She could hear him cursing under his breath.

"What?"

"There's something else that I have to tell you."

The nervous tone of her voice caught his attention, and he paused in his pacing to look at her. "What now?"

She swallowed. "Um, today wasn't actually the first time that I saw Dan." When Nathan remained quiet, she continued, "I think I saw him a few times while I was running errands and visiting Karen at the café. He might've been following me."

Haley bit her lip and waited for the yelling to start. To her surprise, Nathan remained oddly quiet. He was still looking at her, but his face was completely emotionless. In her opinion, it was actually scarier than an outburst.

Another moment passed before he made his way over to the kitchen. He picked up the phone and started to dial a number.

"Nathan, what are you doing? Who are you calling?" He didn't answer her. He just stared straight ahead, waiting. "Nathan."

"Yes, this is Nathan Scott," he said into the phone. "I'd like to speak with an officer about a break in a restraining order…"

* * *

"You should've seen his face, Viv. Nathan was furious when I told him."

"I can imagine. His estranged father comes to visit you out of the blue and starts asking you questions about him and the baby, that's creepy. I can't believe you didn't tell him sooner."

Haley switched her cell phone to her other ear. "I told him what happened today."

"But not about the other times. I'd like to come up there and kick your butt myself. I cannot believe you didn't tell me about your crazy father-in-law stalking you!"

"He wasn't stalking me."

"Haley Bop, him following you around and watching you while you carry on with your day-to-day life is the very definition of stalking. You're lucky nothing happened."

"Honestly, Viv, I only saw glimpses of him at a time. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I haven't seen Dan Scott since the summer before Nathan and I moved to Seattle. And even then it was a chance meeting. I left as soon as I saw that he was in the same place as me."

"Well, based on what you told me, there is no way those instances are chance meetings."

"Yeah, I know that now."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Nathan called the cops."

"Good. What'd they say?"

"I don't know. Nathan wouldn't tell me. He hasn't spoken to me since." After calling the police, Nathan had headed upstairs. Haley decided to give him some time alone and started to make dinner. When it was ready she called him back downstairs. Still he didn't say anything.

She could hear Nathan in the living room now watching a basketball game on TV. She'd gone into the music room to play the piano before finally calling Vivian. Haley needed some advice from her big sister.

"You should go talk to him. It's getting late, and you don't want to go to bed with this unresolved between the two of you. That's the worst thing."

Haley sighed, "I know."

"Just go talk to him, Haley Bop. He's had some time to cool down."

Haley played a few notes on the piano and nodded to herself. "Okay."

"Okay. Let me know how it goes. And _please_ be safe."

"I will," she promised.

"I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye, Viv. Thanks." Haley hung up the phone and glanced at the doorway. It was now or never. She got up from the piano and walked down the hall into the living room.

As she'd predicted, Nathan didn't even tear his eyes away from the TV to look at her. _I guess he's still giving me the silent treatment. _Haley mustered all of the courage she had and tentatively took a seat on the couch. She left a little bit of space between them.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

Nathan's gaze remained on the screen.

"I know that the whole Dan thing probably freaked you out, and I didn't mean to worry you. The first contact I ever had with him was today. I wasn't even completely sure it was really him those other times," Haley stated. "I shouldn't have dismissed it so easily, but I honestly didn't know. I'm really sorry."

She looked away from Nathan and down at her stomach. She'd been stroking it absentmindedly—a little habit she'd picked up ever since her baby bump started to form. When the silence stretched on, Haley took it as a sign that Nathan still wasn't ready to talk.

She made a move to get up but stopped when she felt Nathan's hand on her arm. Haley looked up at him, surprised.

Nathan's serious eyes looked directly into hers. "My biggest fear is something happening to you and the baby. My father already tried to make me lose you once. I won't let him do it again."

His whole body had gone cold when Haley told him about her encounter with Dan. And when he'd found out that his father asked about the baby, he'd completely lost it. Everything negative that used to be a part of Nathan's life had stemmed from his father's presence and influence over the years. After he and Haley had that huge fight that almost tore them apart, Nathan vowed to himself that he would never, ever let his father have that kind of power in his life again.

For Dan to be coming around after all these years, it couldn't be good. But he sure as hell wasn't going to let history repeat itself.

Haley saw the anxiety and vulnerability in Nathan's stare and moved closer to him. She took his face in her hands. "We're not going anywhere. Okay? I promise." Haley touched her lips gently to his.

Nathan's other hand came to rest on her stomach. She placed her right hand over his and gave it a squeeze. "I'm sorry for yelling earlier. I was just—"

"I know," she interrupted. "You had every right to be upset."

"It's just that we got that damn restraining order so he'd stay away. He can't just act like it's not still in effect because we're back in town."

"What did the police say when you reported it?"

"They said they'd handle it. Whatever that means."

"Then we shouldn't worry about it further."

"I don't—"

"Let them do their jobs. It'll be fine." She kissed his forehead down to his cheek. "It's been a long day. Let's go to bed."

"I'm not really tired."

She gave him a small, sexy smile and captured his lips in a heated kiss. "Who said anything about sleeping?"


	19. Chapter 18

**Hey guys, thank you all for the reviews last chapter. Your comments always make my day. I don't know about you guys, but I'm so excited for Brooke and Julian's wedding this week. She definitely deserves to be happy, and I think Julian is a great guy for her. Anyway, here is the next chapter. Please read and review!**

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****Chapter 18**

_**February 29, 2012**_

Nathan watched as Quentin dribbled the basketball in his hands and slam dunked it into the basket. He'd been observing him for several minutes now trying to build up his resolve to talk to him. He couldn't imagine it going smoothly. Not after the attitude that Quentin often had during practice. If he mouthed off at Whitey, then what were the chances of him listening to Nathan?

Whitey, however, seemed to think the opposite. He said that the team looked up to Nathan. That he was one of their idols. Maybe Nathan could see that with the rest of the guys, but not exactly with Quentin. The only person that kid looked up to was himself. But Nathan had promised Whitey he'd try so here he was.

Nathan got out of his SUV with his cane in hand and walked onto the River Court. Whitey had said that Quentin often spent time here. Much to Nathan's annoyance, it was another similarity that his younger self and this kid shared.

"Whoa-huh-ho. What brings the great Nathan Scott around here?" Quentin called out at the sight of him. "Checkin' out the next big thing?"

"You know that crossover wouldn't work in the NBA or college but, uh, it's not bad," Nathan stated.

Quentin smirked. "Yeah, you got any suggestions?"

"You could try the fade-away."

"The fade-away's weak." He shot the ball from his usual stance. It went in perfectly. Nathan had a sudden flashback to when Lucas had been trying to teach him about the fade-away. He'd been just like Quentin in thinking that it was a wasted move. At least until he actually had to use it in order to make the final shot in a game.

"I heard you mixed it up back in your day," Quentin continued. "You know, the girls, booze, parties…"

"That was a long time ago, Quentin."

"You ain't got nothing to explain to me, playa'. People like you and me, man, we just misunderstood."

"Is that why you're not in your tutoring session right now? Because nobody gets you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," he chuckled.

"You're not going to be able to stay on the team with the grades you have," Nathan pointed out.

"Then you should be thankful. One more year and I'll break your scoring record."

"Maybe there's something we can do about that. But you'll have to be on the team. And part of being on the team is attending your tutoring sessions."

"Did your wife put you up to this?"

"No. But that doesn't mean that she doesn't want to help you—even after the way you treated her. Which, by the way, is completely unacceptable."

"She told you about that?"

"Of course she did."

Quentin chuckled. "I didn't think she had it in her. I was only joking."

Nathan resisted the urge to really tell Quentin what was on his mind. Instead he said, "Neither of us was laughing. So you better be on your best behavior. Because if I find out that you've upset her again, then you'll have to answer to me."

"What are you going to do? Beat me with your cane?" he taunted.

"If you cause enough of a problem, then I'll personally see to it that you are suspended from the team. And with your grades, I'm sure Whitey and Principal Turner will agree that it's well deserved."

"I'm the best player there is. They couldn't do that. Not if they want us to win. Seeing as though you were once in my position, I'm sure you know that."

"Well, the team's not exactly winning all the time, now is it? So don't even try to take that approach."

Quentin rolled his eyes and shot the ball. "Fine. Whatever. I'll go to the stupid tutoring sessions if it'll shut all of you up. But it's not like I need school to be in the NBA."

"Maybe not for the NBA, but you'll need it to play college ball. And without that, you can kiss any chance at the NBA goodbye."

"All I care about is staying on the team and playing ball."

"If you do the work and respect your tutor, then that won't happen. My wife may have a good heart, but she's not a pushover. She's not going to let you keep slacking off. And seeing as though she's pregnant, you really better drop that attitude around her."

Quentin stopped dribbling the ball and looked up. "She's pregnant?" he questioned, surprised.

"You didn't know that?"

"She's not big or anything. I couldn't even tell."

"Well, she's not showing that much yet. But she will soon," Nathan stated. "Regardless, I'm sure you can imagine how your mouthing off affects her mood. And if you're giving her a hard time, then you're causing her unnecessary stress. And if you're causing her unnecessary stress, then it's not exactly good for her or the baby."

"Shit," Quentin muttered.

Much to Nathan's satisfaction, Quentin actually looked like he felt bad. "So just to set the record straight, you'll be showing up to every tutoring session and you won't be causing any problems. Understand?"

Quentin remained quiet for a moment before reluctantly nodding his head in agreement. Nathan could tell that the kid was torn. On the one hand, he didn't exactly like being told what to do. On the other, the guilt trip Nathan had given him was actually taking affect.

"You're a good basketball player, Quentin. I won't deny you that. But it takes more than being a good player to get anywhere in this world," Nathan said. "I'll see you at practice on Friday."

And with that, he left.

* * *

"Hold on a second, Peyton," Haley said into her cell phone. She glanced down at Duke. "Go to the bathroom, boy. _Now_." She'd taken him out for a walk and Duke had yet to go. He was too busy watching the squirrels and wanting to chase after them.

"Sorry, Peyton, what were you saying?" Haley questioned.

"Oh, it was nothing important. Is Duke misbehaving?"

"Sort of. I usually don't mind taking him out, but it's cold today. And it's not like I want to stay outside any longer than I have to."

"Hey, if you can handle Seattle weather, I'm sure you can handle that," she joked.

The thought of winter in Seattle made Haley shiver. "Don't remind me."

"Is Nathan with you?"

"No, he's back in the house. He's still using the cane, so it's not like he can keep up with Duke."

"What about you?" Peyton questioned. "You're pregnant, after all."

"It's not that bad. I'm not that big yet so I can still move around without any problems."

"Then Nathan can take out the dog."

"You bet your ass he will," Haley joked.

Peyton laughed. "I was thinking about getting a pet. But now I don't know."

"Why? What's up?" she asked. "Do you not want one in the apartment?"

"No, it's not that."

"What is it, then?"

"Well, you know how Jake started at that law firm."

"Yes, I remember you telling me about it."

"It's not going that well."

"Really?" Haley replied, a little astonished. "Why not?" Jake was a good guy and a hard worker. She could never picture him not fitting in well anywhere.

"The law firm is owned by this guy and his son."

"Okay."

"The problem is that the son does absolutely nothing. He's like this grown man who still acts like a privileged teenager. He pretty much dumped his cases on Jake."

"That's awful. I thought Jake liked it there."

"He did in the beginning. Now not so much."

"That's ridiculous. I can't stand people like that."

"Me either. Did you know that some other woman just got promoted at my label from the mail room?"

"No way," Haley said in outrage.

"I'm serious. The girl doesn't know shit about good music. I swear she only got it because of the skimpy outfits she wears on the job."

"Honestly, Peyton, you need to get out of there. You don't deserve that."

"Tell me about it." Haley heard someone speaking in the background on the other line. "Oh, Haley, I've got to go."

"Okay. Let me know how things turn out."

"I will."

"Talk to you soon."

"Bye."

Haley ended the call and looked down at Duke. "Come on, boy, it's time to go back inside." She guided the dog back to the house. As soon as they climbed the front stairs, Haley noticed something taped to their door. She took a closer look and saw that it was an envelop with Nathan's name on it. There was no return address.

Haley glanced around to see if the person who left it was still around. The street was empty as far as she could tell. Shrugging, she grabbed it and went inside the house. She took the leash off of Duke and went into the kitchen. After pouring some food into his bowl, she joined Nathan on the couch. He was still playing his video game.

"Clay called," Nathan told her.

"Oh, what did he want?"

"He just wanted to see how I was doing."

"Any news about how the Sonics are doing?"

Nathan paused the game and looked at her. "I've been watching the games. It's not that good."

Haley patted his arm. "I'm sorry, baby."

"I don't know if they'll even make it to the playoffs this season."

"It's not your fault," she said, reading his mind. Haley knew that he was still feeling guilty for not being able to help out his team.

"I know. It still sucks, though."

"How's Lucas been doing?"

"Really well. The Knicks won a close game last night."

"That's good."

"What's in your hand?" Nathan questioned, noticing the envelope she was holding.

"Oh, I forgot. This was taped to our front door." She handed it to him. "It's addressed to you."

"Who's it from?"

"I don't know. There's no address, and I didn't see the person who left it."

Nathan examined it and felt his whole body go rigid.

Haley noticed the change. "What's wrong?" she questioned.

Nathan didn't say anything. He simply continued to glare at the envelope.

"Nathan," Haley said, her voice full of concern.

"It's from my father."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? How do you know?"

"The handwriting." He'd recognize that script anywhere.

"You can tell that? Are you sure—"

"Yes. I'm positive." Grabbing his cane, he abruptly stood up. He walked over to the lit fireplace, the livid expression never leaving his face.

"Nathan, what are you doing?" She saw as he tossed it into the fire.

Nathan watched it burn, feeling slightly better. But it wasn't enough to completely dissolve his fury. Dan's little visit to Haley was bad enough. It's why he called the cops. It's also why he was so angry at the moment. He'd called the police so that they'd reinforce the restraining order. Obviously it didn't work if his father was leaving mysterious letters taped to his front door.

"Are you sure you should have done that?"

Nathan knew that she was standing right behind him now. He could just picture the worried look on her face. "I don't want to read anything that he has to say. It's of no importance to me."

"What about the restraining order? Maybe we should have shown the letter to the police. Maybe they could do something."

"If they could, he wouldn't have left it in the first place."

"Or maybe he just doesn't care."

"That's not exactly good either."

"So what do we do?"

Nathan shook his head. "Nothing."

"What?"

"We do nothing," he repeated.

"Nathan—"

"I refuse to let him intrude in our lives."

"Nathan," Haley said carefully. "He obviously is trying to get in touch with you."

"It doesn't matter."

"Now is not the time to be stubborn." If she knew Dan Scott as well as she thought she did, he couldn't suddenly be coming around for nothing. He must want something. She wasn't sure what it was, but he had some kind of agenda. It made her nervous—as much as she wished it didn't. She didn't want him to have that affect on her.

"I'm not being stubborn. We have a restraining order, and we already called the cops. That's that. I'm not going to give in to him. The best thing is to go on and pretend he doesn't exist—just like we always do."

"Well, that would be easier to do if he wasn't suddenly showing up now."

Nathan heard the slight tremor in Haley's voice and turned to face her. "You don't have to be scared."

She looked away from him, unable to refute his statement. The fact of the matter was that she was a little scared. Dan was not a good person. He was like a poison. Everything and everyone he came into contact with was made worse because of him.

Nathan pulled her into his arms. "I'm not going to let him hurt you or the baby."

"I'm worried more for you than myself," she revealed. "With your injury and all—"

"I'll be fine. I can handle him."

"Nathan, don't start trying to act like a hero or anything. You're not invincible."

"I know."

"Do you?"

He lifted the cane in his hand. "Trust me, I do."

* * *

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Scott. I thought I had it."

Haley looked up from Jack's geometry quiz and smiled encouragingly. "It's okay, Jack."

"No, it's not. I completely bombed it."

"Sometimes it takes time for the concepts to really sink in." She could see that Jack was beating himself up for doing poorly. She didn't want him to feel hopeless or like a failure. They'd been working so hard over the past few weeks. And even though he still had trouble, she knew all their studying wasn't for nothing.

"I don't know. It's like I get it when you explain it to me during our session. But then when I actually get to class and take a quiz, my mind goes blank and I panic."

"And you studied at home, right?"

"Yes."

"Did you get it then?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Haley was thoughtful for a moment. "Jack, do ever get nervous when taking tests?"

"Yes."

"Does it happen often?"

"Um, maybe. I kind of try not to think about it." He seemed to notice something in her expression. "Why?"

"Have you ever heard of test anxiety?" Haley asked.

"Yeah. Why?" He frowned. "Do you think I have that or something?"

"You might."

"I don't think so."

"It could be a possibility. I mean, we've studied really hard. And I know that you knew how to use these theories after our last session. All of your practice problems were right," Haley explained. "So the only reason I can come up with for why you didn't do well on this is because of nerves."

"I don't know." He didn't look convinced.

"Do you have any tests or quizzes from another class with you?"

"Um, hold on a sec…" He searched in his backpack and pulled out a piece of paper. "This was a history quiz."

"History is your best class, correct?"

"Yeah. I'm really good in it."

Haley examined the test. It was as she expected. "But you got a C on this quiz," she pointed out.

"It's not because I didn't understand," he quickly explained.

"Then what happened?"

"I don't know. I guess I got nervous and couldn't focus."

Haley nodded in understanding. "Jack, I really do think you have test anxiety." She'd seen this many times before with her own students back in Seattle. Some of the brightest kids in her class just couldn't seem to get an A on a test or quiz all because they psyched themselves out. Haley knew it was the same case with Jack.

"Is that bad?" he inquired nervously.

"No. Actually, it's a good thing that we figured this out. Because now that we know what the problem is, we can try to find a way around it."

Jack smiled. "Cool."

"Um, Mrs. Scott?" a female voice interrupted.

Haley glanced up and noticed that it was another one of her tutees. The girl's name was Sam. She had long brown hair and was kind of short for her age. She was a pretty girl, but boy did she have spunk. After a number of their tutoring sessions, Haley was starting to wonder if "sarcasm" was her middle name.

"Hi, Sam," Haley greeted. "What's up?"

"I need to reschedule our tutoring session for Monday."

"May I ask why?"

"I've got a doctor's appointment that afternoon, so I'm leaving early."

"Oh, okay. I'm in the middle of a session right now. But if you go to the desk over there, Laura can try to find another time for you."

"Okay. Sure." Sam looked like she was about to walk away when she noticed Jack. "What are you staring at?"

Haley shifted her gaze to Jack. She hadn't noticed the boy's open-mouthed, stunned expression while she was talking to Sam.

"U-uh, n-nothing," he stammered out quickly. Haley held back a smile when she saw him start to blush slightly.

Sam eyed him irritably. "That's what I thought."

"Are you okay?" Haley questioned once Sam was out of earshot. She saw Jack blow out a breath and put his hands over his face.

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." He returned his attention to her. "What were we talking about?"

"Test anxiety," Haley gently reminded.

"Right."

Haley suppressed another grin. It looked like tests weren't the only thing that could get Jack flustered.


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

_**March 13, 2012**_

Haley looked at herself in the mirror as she tried to get the zipper of her dress up. She and Nathan were supposed to go over to Keith and Karen's for dinner tonight. The only problem was that she couldn't find anything to wear. With her breasts and baby bump practically getting bigger by the minute, it was hard to fit into most of her clothes like she could before.

"Hales?" Nathan called, searching for her.

"In the bedroom," she shouted back.

Nathan walked into the room and paused to look around. "Did the closet explode?"

"No." She cracked a small smile and turned to face him. "How do I look in this?"

Nathan stared at Haley in the dress. The material looked too tight against her skin and her cleavage was busting out over the top. It also appeared as if the zipper couldn't go all the way up. "Is there a right answer to that question?"

Haley whacked at a pile of clothes on the bed with a huff. "Well nothing fits me anymore! And I do mean nothing!"

Nathan sat beside her on the bed and rubbed her arm. "Hales, you're five months pregnant. Your clothes aren't supposed to fit."

"What am I going to wear tonight? Hell, what am I going to wear every day?" she exclaimed, obviously getting upset. "I'm fat."

"You are not fat."

"Yes, I am," she declared with watery eyes. "I'm fat and puffy, and I'm only going to get bigger."

"You're pregnant and you're beautiful," Nathan countered while placing a hand on her cheek. He wiped away a stray tear and kissed her lips.

"You really think so?"

"Of course I do." He kissed her again. "It's very sexy."

"What is?" she asked, confused.

"All of it."

"What's all of it?" She needed specifics. Because right about now, Haley felt like she could be the next Good Year Blimp.

"Your curves. Your breasts. The baby bump. And that loving look you get in your eyes when you're talking to our baby or stroking your stomach," he murmured. He kissed her once more before meeting her gaze. "You just seem to glow."

Haley felt her eyes starting to water again. She could tell that Nathan meant what he said. He had that adoring and mesmerized look on his face. She'd noticed it on him often. Sometimes Haley would be doing the simplest of tasks, and she'd find him just watching her.

"Well, when you put it like that…" she tried to joke.

Nathan smiled and leaned in to touch his lips to hers. Haley surrendered herself to the kiss and felt herself shiver as his fingers played with the zipper. He pulled it down and started to help her out of her dress. He smirked when he noticed that she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Don't you have physical therapy this morning?" she reminded him half-heartedly. It's not like she actually wanted him to stop, but his appointment was in the back of her mind.

"No, it was canceled. My therapist has the flu," Nathan mumbled against her neck. He pulled her closer and almost groaned when her fingers ran along the back of his head and through his hair.

"That's too bad." She didn't sound as sympathetic as she meant to be.

Nathan kissed a trail down her shoulder and chest to her breasts. "Yeah, terrible."

Her breath caught in her throat as he took one of the swollen nubs into his mouth. By now Nathan knew to be extra careful with her. Her whole body was so much more sensitive than she was used to. Haley's fingers shook slightly as she made fast work of undoing the buttons of his shirt.

She pushed the material back over his broad shoulders. Nathan pulled back for a moment to help her get it off. He then returned to his ministrations, making her actually moan out loud this time. She arched herself further into him, trying to draw him closer.

Nathan had no idea why Haley kept thinking that she was fat. Sure, her body had changed from the pregnancy. But it most definitely suited her. Never in his life did he think he'd be so turned on by it.

Nathan guided her back on the bed and made quick work of removing the rest of their clothing. He pushed aside some of the random clothes that were strewn about to make room for them. He could feel how hot Haley was when their bare skin finally touched. It only increased his want for her, and she was more than ready for him.

Haley moaned loudly into Nathan's mouth when he finally joined them together. They found their new rhythm and moved together perfectly now. It had been a little difficult making love when she started getting a belly. Nathan was always trying to watch out for her baby bump while she just wanted to pull him as close as possible. Eventually they'd found their happy medium.

Their bodies glided against each other, slick with sweat and causing a delicious friction. Nathan buried his face in Haley's neck, trying to prolong their time together as long as possible. She was making it difficult when she clenched her muscles around him every time he withdrew. But it felt so damn good that he didn't have the strength to tell her to stop.

Haley whispered his name as Nathan picked up the pace. His mouth found hers again, and she kissed him back hungrily. Her whole body was buzzing as the pleasure built. Goose bumps formed on her skin as his calloused hands touched her everywhere. It was intoxicating the way he took over her senses. She never wanted him to stop. She could spend the whole day with him like this and be completely happy.

"You are so sexy, baby," he murmured huskily into her ear.

"You make me feel sexy," she muttered back, gasping at the end as he thrust deeper into her. She cried out moments later in ecstasy when she reached her peak.

Nathan kept his eyes on her face and watched as she rode the waves of her orgasm. A few more thrusts and it wasn't long before he joined her. Trying to catch his breath, Nathan rolled onto his back.

"I guess it wasn't a wasted morning. That could count as physical therapy, right?"

Nathan laughed at her teasing and leaned over to kiss her. "Definitely."

"And your knee is okay?" She sometimes got nervous the way he leaned on it when they were making love.

"It's fine. I've been doing my exercises, and it's getting better."

"Good." She had noticed that Nathan was making progress. He didn't even need to walk with his cane anymore.

"So how about we just stay in bed the rest of the day?"

She snuggled into his arms and kissed him passionately. "It sounds perfect. But I still have nothing to wear."

"We'll go shopping later." She started sucking and running her tongue over the skin of his neck. His eyes practically rolled back into his head. "Much later."

She nodded absently in agreement. "Good idea."

* * *

"Hi, come on in," Karen greeted.

Haley and Nathan walked into the house as Keith approached. "Let me take your coats," he offered.

"Thank you." Haley handed it to him. "It's cold out tonight."

"I know. Karen's been turning the heat up all day."

"I couldn't help it. There's been this awful draft in the house. I don't want Lily to get sick."

"Where is Lily?" Nathan questioned.

"She's staying next door for the night. A new family moved in and they have a daughter Lily's age. The two are now attached at the hip," Karen joked.

Haley smiled. "That's cute."

"Let's head on into the kitchen," Keith directed. "What would you like to drink?"

"You wouldn't happen to have any root beer, would you? I've been craving it like crazy lately."

"I remember that," Karen stated knowingly. "And lucky for you, it's one of Lily's favorites. So I bought some when I went shopping the other day."

"Great."

"What about you, Nathan?" Keith inquired. "Would you like a beer or wine?"

"I'll have a beer."

"I see you're walking without your cane," Karen observed as they all made their way into the kitchen.

"Yes, finally. My physical therapist says I'm making good progress." Nathan took a seat next to Haley at the kitchen table. "They said I can actually start jogging and exercising again."

"That's great, Nate." Keith handed him a beer before getting Haley's drink. "What about basketball?"

"I'm getting there, but I can't play any actual sports yet."

"Well, like you said, you're making progress."

"I made meatloaf tonight. I hope that's all right."

"Karen, anything you make is great," Haley assured her.

"That's for sure," Nathan agreed.

"I told her it would be good. She worries," Keith said.

"I can't help it. It's hard keeping track of what everyone likes."

"I'll second that," Haley spoke up. "Did you need any help, Karen?"

"Oh, no. You just sit down and relax. Everything is almost done. Keith, can you put the potatoes and everything on the table?"

"Sure, honey."

Nathan and Haley exchanged a look as they inhaled the delicious scent of Karen's food. They'd both been thrilled at being invited over for dinner. It had been a couple of weeks since they'd seen Keith or Karen. It would be nice to catch up.

"There we go," Keith said as he placed the final plate of food on the table. He and Karen sat down, and they all began to eat.

"So, Nathan, I heard you're helping Whitey with the Ravens," Keith stated a while later.

"Yeah."

"How's that going?"

Nathan shrugged. "Um, it's okay. There's this one kid that's kind of causing some problems."

"Quentin."

"How'd you know?"

"I visit Whitey from time to time. He filled me in."

"What happened?" Karen questioned.

"He's our best player. He's also the most difficult. He doesn't really help out the team. Sometimes they end up losing games because of him."

"And he's having trouble in school. I'm tutoring him."

"How is that going?" Karen noticed the look that passed between Nathan and Haley. "Okay, so I'm assuming it's not good."

"Well, it was bad at first. He was mouthing off and practically hitting on me. Whitey talked to him."

"But then he stopped going to the sessions altogether," Nathan interjected.

"He sounds like a piece of work."

"Nathan actually talked to Quentin last week. He's coming to them now."

"How's his behavior?" Karen inquired.

"Better. Thank God."

"But he's still cocky and a ball hog on the court," Nathan added.

"Sounds familiar," Keith joked.

Nathan shook his head as Haley nudged him playfully. "I'm never gonna live that down, am I?"

"It'll make a great story for the kids someday. Trust me."

Karen took a sip of her wine and leaned forward. "Speaking of kids, how are things with the baby?"

"I have an appointment with the doctor this Saturday," Haley answered, her voice suddenly excited. "They said we can learn the sex of the baby."

"So you want to know."

Haley smiled and patted Nathan's shoulder. "Well, Nathan and I are still discussing that. It's actually kind of funny."

"We ended up being the complete opposite of what we thought."

"Meaning?" Keith prodded.

"Well, I thought that Haley wouldn't want to find out until the baby is born," Nathan stated.

"And I thought that Nathan would want to find out as soon as possible. It turns out that I want to know, and he's still undecided," Haley explained. She and Nathan had been talking about it for the last couple of weeks. It made her laugh how flustered Nathan was getting over the subject.

"You guys know that we waited to find out with Lily. I actually didn't want to know with Lucas either."

Keith smiled and took Karen's hand in his. "It's a great surprise. I'll tell you that."

"I thought about that. But Vivian found out about Deidra, and she said that she was glad that she did. It made planning for her arrival a lot easier."

"Everyone's different. It's up to you what you want to do. I never cared about the sex as long as the baby was healthy."

"I definitely agree with that," Haley said.

"I wouldn't mind having a girl, though," Nathan spoke up.

Haley stared at him in surprise. "Really?" She hadn't expected that.

"Yeah. I want a little girl just like you."

Haley melted at his words and felt a blush color her cheeks. "That's funny seeing as thought I'd like a son with your eyes."

"Maybe you'll have twins," Keith joked.

"It's only one, thankfully. I don't know if I could handle two the first time around."

"I'm happy with one. God only knows how much fatter I'd be with twins."

"Haley, you are not fat," Karen disagreed.

Haley laughed and placed a hand on her round stomach. "Please, Karen, you don't have to lie to me to make me feel better."

"I'm not lying, honey. You look beautiful."

"I keep telling her that, but she doesn't believe me," Nathan added.

"We had to go shopping today, because my clothes won't fit anymore—aside from a few sweatpants."

"You should've seen what she did to our closet." Nathan smirked as he recounted the scene from earlier to Keith and Karen. They started laughing. "She had clothes all over the place."

"I couldn't find anything to wear for tonight," she defended.

"I think you look adorable in that dress." Haley looked down at her dress. It was made of sweater material. The top was a dark gray, and the actual dress and collar were black. "Besides, you're like me. I was more stomach than fat."

"You should've seen her with Lucas. She was as round as a basketball," Keith teased, earning him a whack on the chest from Karen.

"Thanks, honey."

"You were still beautiful, though."

"Mmm hmm…" Karen eyed him skeptically.

Nathan and Haley laughed while watching them. Keith and Karen were such a nice couple. They'd been friends long before they ever got together, and it showed. Nathan could only hope that he and Haley would be still as in love and dedicated to each other as Keith and Karen. Although deep down he knew that wouldn't be a problem.

"Just as well, I've decided to grow out my hair."

"Didn't you just get it cut?" Karen observed.

"Yup. But that's the last time. I think longer hair will make me look less puffy."

They all laughed and continued on with the meal. After dessert they headed into the living room to continue talking and catching up. Keith and Karen filled them in on some details for Brooke and Lucas's wedding plans. It seemed as if Brooke was still having trouble picking an exact date. Although she and Lucas did finally decide to have it in October.

"Let me know how your appointment goes," Karen said when Haley and Nathan were on their way out. "I'd love to know what you decide."

"I will. Brooke and Peyton want to know, too."

"Plus your sister and your parents," Nathan added.

"And Lucas and Jake. Oh, and of course your mom and Andy."

"Basically, everyone is excited," Keith surmised.

"Yeah, pretty much," Haley agreed, giggling.

"You two have a safe ride home."

Haley hugged Karen and Keith, followed by Nathan. "Thank you so much for dinner. We had fun."

"Good. I'm glad. We'll see you again soon."

"We're actually coming to the Ravens' game this week," Keith stated.

"There probably won't be much to see," Nathan muttered, only half joking. He never knew what to expect from games. Quentin was just so unpredictable.

"Things will get better. They always do," Karen encouraged.

Haley headed for the door. "Bye, guys. Thanks again."

"Goodnight," Keith and Karen called back, waving.

* * *

Nathan sat on the bleachers looking out over the empty, semi-dark basketball court. The Ravens had lost their game tonight. He was disappointed; he really shouldn't be. Nathan knew that Quentin wasn't making that much progress. He was still as much of a showoff and ball hog as ever. Whitey didn't look pleased by the end of the game. That was for sure.

Nathan knew that the old man was probably considering either suspending or cutting Quentin from the team. He told Nathan to think it over, too, and to then get back to him. It wasn't easy seeing the Ravens lose like they did. It was so petty and a shame to the game. It didn't help that there were always so many people that would show up to watch.

As soon as people heard that NBA star Nathan Scott was acting as assistant coach to the Ravens, they just flocked to the gym on game night. It caused a lot of pressure. Nathan sometimes wondered if his presence was actually helping or just making things worse. He didn't know where Whitey or the team should go from here. Someone had to get Quentin under control.

An unwanted thought popped into Nathan's head in that moment. He sighed loudly. He hated when people compared his behavior in high school to Quentin's. Mostly because he was just as bad. He had the attitude, the adoration of the school, and the mentality that he could do whatever he wanted and get away with it. But there was one thing that Nathan had that Quentin didn't, and that was Dan Scott for a father.

His father would push him. Make him more aggressive and more insensitive. Then he would tighten his hold. He'd pull Nathan back by enforcing his rules and making him think that his great plays were all crap. Nobody topped Dan Scott—even his son. It was a hard set of expectations to live up to. And it had taken its toll on Nathan over the years.

It wasn't until Lucas joined the basketball team and they became friends that things got better. Dan saw it as the worst thing to happen, but Nathan was relieved deep down. It took some of the pressure off. His brother was a good player, and Nathan wasn't stuck carrying the team as much anymore. He also had a good friend that he'd started to trust. Lucas had always been a nice guy. It made Nathan begin to think about his own actions.

It wasn't an easy process. Nobody wants to wake up in the morning and realize that they're turning into a bad person. Something so beneath what they could actually be. Nathan tried to straighten out his life after that. Dan kept pushing him to do what he wanted, and Nathan listened somewhat. But he refused to return to that awful guy he was before.

He could see the signs of going down the wrong path in Quentin. From what Nathan understood, the kid didn't have a dad. He lived with his mother and little brother. He didn't have a Dan Scott dictating his life. So it had to be something deeper going on. As much at the kid drove him crazy, Nathan had to admit that he felt an intense need to save him—or at least give him one hell of a wakeup call.

Thinking of Dan, Nathan felt his fists clench. Even at twenty-four years old his father was continuing to impact his life. He didn't have control anymore but that didn't mean that Dan couldn't cause problems. It's all the man ever did—first with cornering Haley and then sending that stupid letter. Then there were the phone calls. Someone mysteriously kept calling the house and then hanging up. No number appeared on the caller ID, but Nathan was positive it was Dan.

Nathan had told the police about it, and they said they'd look into it. He didn't exactly have all that much faith in them at the moment. If it was up to him, he would've locked his father up already. How many violations to the restraining order do they really need before action is taken?

It was all such a mess.

Thinking of the phone calls, Nathan involuntarily shivered. Haley was home alone. Keith and Karen had taken her home after the game so Nathan could stay behind a while. He didn't want to leave her by herself for that long—especially in her condition. It helped a little that they had Duke, but it still made him nervous.

Nathan stood up, ready to leave, when he heard the gym doors open. A teenage boy walked in and onto the court. He had a basketball in his hands. Nathan watched as he dribbled the ball up the court and shot the ball. It sailed through the air and went perfectly into the net.

Nathan sat back down. The kid hadn't realized he was there, and Nathan was going to take advantage of that. This boy had skill. But more than that, he had speed. He had to be one of the fastest players in his age group that Nathan had seen in a long time. He watched a little while longer as the idea in his head became clearer. Maybe the Ravens weren't doomed after all.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Haley, he was good."

"I know. You said that about a hundred times," Haley laughed, amused. They were at the doctor's office in one of the examination rooms. She just had her checkup. Thankfully everything with her and the baby seemed fine. Now they were waiting for the doctor to come back so she could do the sonogram.

"It's just that the Ravens could really use a player like him."

"Then maybe you shouldn't have scared him off," she teased.

"I didn't scare him off. All I said was 'hi' and then he took off running."

"He didn't know you were there watching him the whole time. It probably freaked him out. Therefore, you scared him off."

Nathan sighed and ran a hair through his hair.

"Is it this kid you're worried about or is it something else?" Haley could sense that maybe there was more to this little tirade of Nathan's than met the eye.

"It's nothing."

"That look was not nothing. Talk to me," she encouraged. She took his hand in hers.

"I guess I'm just a little nervous about the ultrasound," he admitted, a little shamefaced.

"Why? Did you change your mind? Do you not want to know the sex?" They'd finally decided yesterday that they wanted to know the baby's gender. But if Nathan really didn't want to know, then she could understand that. It would bum her out a little, but she didn't want to force him to do something he didn't want.

"No, it's not that."

"Then what is it?" she asked worriedly.

"It's just that when we do see the baby and know what it is…" She urged him on. "It'll be really real."

"Oh."

"Not that I'm not happy we're having a baby," he tried to backtrack. "I'm just—"

"No, I get it. I feel the same way," Haley reassured him.

"You do?" He sounded relieved.

"Yes. I get a little scared from time to time, too. It's only natural."

He leaned down and kissed her tenderly. "But I am excited. I want you to know that, too."

"I know you are." She kissed him again just as the door opened.

"Well, you two certainly don't waste time," the doctor joked.

Haley instantly blushed. "We were just—"

"Don't worry about it," she dismissed. "I've seen a lot worse."

"What else do people do while they wait?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

Nathan smirked. "Interesting."

"So, are you ready to see your baby?"

"Yes," Haley answered while pulling up her shirt.

"Now, I apologize in advance. This gel may feel a little bit cold."

"What does the gel do?" Nathan asked curiously. He glanced at Haley when he heard her give a little gasp at the feel of the gel on her stomach.

"It helps the probe transmit sound waves. The sound waves will bounce off of the body structures, like the developing fetus, and create a picture on the ultrasound machine." She turned the machine on and grabbed the probe. She placed it on Haley's stomach.

Both Haley and Nathan waited with baited breath. The sound of a heartbeat soon filled the room. "Oh my God," Haley mumbled. She'd heard it once before and still she was in awe.

"It's a good strong heartbeat."

Nathan took Haley's hand in his. "So what exactly are we looking at?" He couldn't really make out anything on the screen. It all looked black and white to him.

"This right here is your baby's head," the doctor pointed out. "That's the back. You can see the developed spine. There are the arms and legs."

"Wow," Haley muttered. She could feel her eyes starting to water.

"Yeah," Nathan agreed. It was one of the most amazing things he'd ever seen in his life. "So, what is it?"

"I don't know."

Nathan and Haley stared at her in surprise. "What?" Haley questioned, a little panicked.

"The baby's back is to me, so I can't see the genitalia."

"Oh."

"But the baby looks healthy, right?" Nathan questioned, making sure.

"Oh, yes. Everything looks good."

"I haven't felt the baby kick or anything yet? Is that bad?" Haley asked.

"No. That's normal. Some babies just aren't as active as others. I'm sure it will be soon, though."

"Okay."

"Is it still turned?" Nathan could feel Haley squeezing his hand. She was just as anxious as him.

"Hold on a second. I think the baby's shifting." The doctor looked closer. "There we are."

"What is it?" Haley urged.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Scott. It's a boy!"


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Haley glanced over at Nathan to make sure that he was ready. When he nodded his assent, she pulled up Brooke's number on her phone and called it.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Brooke. It's Haley."

"Hey, Tutor Mom, what's up?"

"Is Lucas there with you?"

"Um, he's in the kitchen. Why?"

"Put him on the phone with you," Nathan said.

"You're there, too, Boy Toy?" she laughed.

"We have some news," Haley announced.

"Oh my God, is this about the baby?" Her voice was suddenly excited. "Did you find out what you're having?"

"Yes, we did."

"Hold on a second. Lucas!" they heard her shout. A male voice spoke in the background. Haley and Nathan smiled at one another in amusement when they heard Brooke order him to get his ass in the room.

"What is it?" Lucas questioned.

"You're on speaker phone with Nathan and Haley," Brooke informed him.

"Oh, hey, guys. Nate, how's the knee? You playin' some ball yet or what?"

"Not yet. I'm mostly jogging and doing some cycling."

"That's good."

"Broody, shut up!" Brooke interrupted. "We're not talking about Nathan's rehab."

"Excuse me for wanting to know how my brother is doing." His voice was sarcastic but light.

Nathan and Haley exchanged smiles again.

"They called to tell us about the baby. They found out the sex."

"They did? What is it?"

"Are you sure you're ready?" Haley questioned.

"Of course we are!" Brooke declared. "I've been waiting for this moment forever."

"You sound like you're the one with the baby," Lucas joked. "Ow!"

Haley bit her lip to suppress a laugh. She couldn't see her friends, but she knew that Brooke had probably hit Lucas.

"Go ahead and tell us, you guys. I promise no more interruptions."

"Okay then. It's a boy," Nathan revealed, unable to keep the grin off of his face. He'd been that way ever since he and Haley found out a couple of hours ago. The moment the doctor told them had felt so surreal. But as soon as his mind had processed that they were having a son, a sense of pride and excitement seemed to overtake him.

"Oh my God, that is so adorable! I had a feeling it would be a boy. And this is so perfect because I've already started designing a few baby outfits for him. He'll be the best dressed newborn in the hospital!" Brooke stated. "And now I officially know what to get you for the baby shower. There are these—"

"That's really great, you guys," Lucas cut in. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Haley replied.

"Have you told anyone else yet?"

"Just our parents and Haley's sister," Nathan answered.

"We've still got to call Peyton and Jake, Keith and Karen, and I'm sure Tony and Lindsey would like to know," Haley added. "Oh, and Megan and Anna!"

"And Clay. And Tim, too. He called the other day to catch up. He and his wife Bevin actually want to go out to dinner with us tomorrow night."

Tim had called Nathan as soon as he was back in town. Nathan hadn't gotten the chance to hang out with him that much due to his injury. But now that he was doing well in rehab, he could drive again and meet up Tim and his other River Court friends. Skills, Fergie, Junk, and Mouth were all still living in Tree Hill.

"That's fine with me. We don't have anything else planned, right?"

Nathan shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Well, we'll let you go," Lucas said. "It sounds like you have a ton more calls to make."

"Call me back when you're finished. I've already got big plans for the baby shower."

"Brooke, that's still a while yet," Haley replied, laughing. It was typical of Brooke to already be planning the party. That girl was always thinking ahead.

"So? You think my amazing parties happen just like that. It takes a lot of time and preparation."

"What about the wedding?" Nathan reminded her. "Karen told us you finally set a date."

"It's October twentieth. But don't worry, I'm a great multi-tasker."

"All right, I'll check back in. Talk to you later, Brooke," Haley said.

"Bye, guys. Congratulations again."

"Thanks." Nathan ended the call and started searching for Peyton and Jake's number. It was probably going to take them the rest of the night to call everyone else. They'd been on the phone with Haley's parents and his mom for an hour each. It was never just a quick thing. But Nathan didn't really mind when it was such good news.

"Baby, can you hold on a second?" Haley requested. "I have to pee."

He smirked. "Again?"

"I can't help it. Our son is pressing down on my bladder," she defended.

He felt his insides practically turn to mush all over again at her words. "Say it again," he told her, smiling.

She frowned in confusion. "I have to pee."

"No," he chuckled. "Not that. The son part."

Haley grinned in understanding before leaning in to kiss Nathan's lips. "Our son," she repeated softly. Proudly.

Nathan kissed her once more and watched her get up to leave, the smile never leaving his face.

* * *

"I'm hungry."

"Hales, we just had a full meal plus dessert. How can you still be hungry?"

"I don't know, but I am. The baby wants ice cream."

"You said before that he wanted chocolate cake."

"Well, he already had chocolate cake. Now he wants ice cream," Haley teased and nodded toward an ice cream vendor.

Nathan shook his head and laughed. His arm around her shoulders tightened. After having dinner with Tim and Bevin, the pair decided to go to the Market Street Dock. The weather was just right tonight. It wasn't too cold or too hot—the perfect temperature for a walk. Spring was definitely on its way.

"What flavor does the baby want?"

Haley pretended to think about it. "Um…cotton candy."

"I'll be right back."

"Thank you, honey. I love you," Haley called after him. She took a seat on a nearby bench while she waited. Her feet were starting to hurt from all their walking.

She glanced around at the passersby. There were older couples walking and groups of friends talking and joking around. Haley smiled at how happy most people appeared. She knew that she was one of them. This weekend had been amazing with her and Nathan finding out about the baby. All of their family and friends had been so thrilled by the news.

Haley rested her hands on her stomach and looked down at it. Now if only she could feel the baby kick. She'd been waiting and waiting for it to happen. Sometimes she could feel the baby turning but there was never an actual kick. Haley had felt better when the doctor told her that the lack of activity was normal. She'd been so afraid that something was wrong. But thankfully the baby, their son, was healthy. That was all Haley cared about in the end.

"Here you are."

Haley took the cup of ice cream from Nathan. "Thank you." He handed her a spoon, and she wasted no time digging in. Ice cream was officially Haley's number one food craving. The baby also seemed to favor root beer. Combine root beer and ice cream for a root beer float, and she felt like she was in heaven.

"Mmm…so good," she moaned.

Nathan smiled as he watched the pleasure Haley got from a simple spoonful of ice cream. She was so funny sometimes. He loved her like this. Although she'd have an occasional meltdown, there were also times when Haley seemed like the happiest woman in the world. Those were his favorite moments to observe her.

"I'm sorry. Did you want some?" Haley offered. He hadn't noticed that she was staring back at him.

"What?"

"You're looking at me funny. Did you want some ice cream, too?"

Nathan smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm still full from dinner."

"Then what's up? Is there ice cream on my face?" She wiped at her mouth.

"No. I just like watching you. That's all," he told her.

"What?"

"You're really cute when you eat," he teased.

"No, I'm not. I look awful," Haley laughed. She knew that she probably looked like a pig when she ate, but she couldn't help it. Haley just got so hungry sometimes that she would devour whatever meal was in front of her. And when she had a strong craving, everything else around her would pretty much disappear. It made her laugh sometimes. Aside from food, the only thing that used to capture her attention like that was Nathan.

"No, you're definitely cute. You get so into it." He ran his hand through her hair and rested it on her cheek.

She grinned, bemused. "And here I thought you'd be repulsed."

"I could never be repulsed by anything you do."

"What about when I put that pickle in my ice cream last week?"

Nathan pretended to think about it. "It was gross," he admitted. "But I wasn't actually repulsed."

"Well, I was," Haley revealed with a quirky smile. "Vivian used to like that when she was pregnant and I figured I'd give it a shot."

"Not your thing, huh?"

"Heck no. It was disgusting."

Nathan chuckled and kissed her. He was about to pull back when Haley put her hand behind his head and drew him closer. Her tongue slid across his bottom lip, causing him to moan low in his throat.

It was a while before they finally broke apart. "Well, we gave half the town quite a show," he joked.

Haley blushed unapologetically. "They can deal with it."

"Now that was sexy," he muttered in a husky voice and kissed her again. "I'm glad that I can be here with you."

She frowned at his words, not understanding their meaning. "Why wouldn't you be?"

"I was thinking about it today. If I hadn't gotten injured, then I'd be training for the playoffs and traveling for games. I wouldn't get to be with you as much as I am now," he explained. "I'm not saying I'm glad I got hurt because the whole surgery and rehab thing sucks, but in a way it kind of worked out. I like sharing this pregnancy with you."

Haley's eyes started to water at his touching words. "I like sharing it with you, too." She loved having Nathan around again. She used to miss him so much when he was away at games or training camp. She couldn't imagine him not being here to experience this pregnancy with her. It really did make all the difference.

He wiped at her tears. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"No, I'm happy. And it's the damn hormones, so just ignore the waterworks," she replied, her tone playful.

Nathan kissed her tenderly and hugged her. He ran his hands soothingly up and down her back to calm her. Eventually she was able to get a hold over her emotions.

"Are you ready to go home or did you want to stay a little longer?" he asked.

"Could we stay for just a few more minutes?"

He smiled and drew back. "Sure."

Haley rested her head against his chest and snuggled into his side. As much as she could, at least. Her stomach often got in the way now. And it would be even bigger in the coming months. That was sure to be interesting.

"There are a lot of people here tonight," Nathan observed.

"I know. It must be the nicer weather." Haley continued to stare at the water and the people walking by. She perked up when she saw someone she recognized. "Oh, there's Jack."

"Who's Jack?" Nathan questioned.

"He's one of the kids I tutor at school. He's hanging out with a couple of his friends over by the ice cream cart."

Nathan followed her gaze and felt the spark of recognition. "Oh my God, I know that kid."

Haley looked up at him. "You know Jack?"

"Yeah." He never took his eyes off of him.

"Isn't he nice?"

"I've never met him personally."

"Well, then how do you know him?" she inquired, confused.

"He was that kid I saw in the gym."

"Jack? Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." He was the same height with the same dirty blond, curly hair.

"I didn't know he played basketball."

"Oh, he does. Trust me."

"Did you want to go over there and talk to him?" Haley suggested.

Nathan thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. "No. I'll wait." The kid had bolted when Nathan caught him in the gym. He'd probably freak out again or think he was in trouble if Nathan just randomly came up to him now.

"You sure? I know him really well."

Nathan smiled as an idea formed in his head. "That's what I'm counting on."

* * *

It was Monday afternoon, and Haley watched as Jack finished up the last of his homework. She checked the clock. Nathan would be showing up at the Tutoring Center any minute now. She'd been a little shocked the other night when Nathan told her that Jack was the kid he'd spotted in the gym. Jack had never talked about or expressed an interest in any sports. But Nathan was convinced that Jack had talent.

That's why he was coming to talk to him. Haley suggested that Nathan visit during their tutoring session. Jack was very comfortable in the Tutoring Center and around her. She hoped that the environment would make him less nervous or intimidated.

"Oh, Jack, I forgot to tell you," Haley spoke up. "I talked with your teachers, and they've agreed to let you take your tests after school here in the Tutoring Center with me."

"Really? Cool."

Haley had decided to wait a little bit and see if after a few more study sessions Jack would do better on his tests. She wanted to make sure they'd found the real problem behind his low scores. Once it was confirmed, Haley went to talk to each of the teachers. A couple had been hesitant to let him take the test elsewhere, but Haley managed to convince them that it was what was best for Jack.

Eventually he would be back in the classroom taking tests with the other students. But he had to start small and work his way back up to that. He just wasn't comfortable with the way things were now. One of the special resources teachers even agreed to help Haley work with Jack on his anxiety. Haley was a teacher, but she wasn't specially trained to deal with certain learning disabilities. And she wanted Jack to have all of the help he could get.

"Mrs. Grayson will also be here with us. She's from Special Resources. She's gonna help you with your test anxiety and teach you some ways to overcome it."

He shook his head. "No. I don't want her here."

"Why not?" Haley questioned.

"Because if people see her then they're going to think that there's something wrong with me."

"First of all, she'll be very discrete. And second, there is nothing wrong with you. Everyone has trouble with certain things. The point is to work through it, so you can improve," she told him. "And Mrs. Grayson won't be with us every time. Just during a few sessions now and then."

"But—"

"I promise that no one will find out. There's a private room behind the office over there. We can use that if it'll make you feel more comfortable."

"Yeah, I like that better."

"Okay, then I'll arrange it."

"Thanks."

Haley gave him an encouraging smile. "No problem." She nodded toward his homework. "Almost done?"

"Yeah. One more question left."

"Good." Haley noticed Nathan walk through the door just then. He spotted her and started to make his way over. "Because there is someone I'd like you to meet."

"Who?" He didn't look up from his homework.

"Hi, Jack," Nathan greeted.

Jack's head shot up as a mixture of shock and awe washed over his face. "Whoa. You're Nathan Scott."

"You recognize me?"

"Dude, everyone around here knows who you are. It's not everyday a real NBA star is in Tree Hill. In fact, that never happens."

"Then why did you run away from me the last time I saw you?"

"What?" he questioned, confused.

"I saw you in the gym last Friday night. You took off when I tried to flag you down."

"That was you? Oh, crap. I wasn't doing anything wrong. I mean, anyone can use the gym. It's—"

"Relax, Jack, you're not in trouble," Haley quickly interjected.

He looked skeptical. "I'm not?"

"No," Nathan stated and took a seat on the other side of him. "You didn't do anything wrong, which was why I was so curious why you ran."

"I didn't know it was you. It was dark. I thought maybe you were one of the players on the team. Sometimes they get mad when outsiders are in the gym. It's like we're invading their territory or something."

"Well, I wasn't mad. Actually, I was impressed."

"You were?" The disbelief was evident in his voice.

"You played really well. And you're insanely fast. Have you ever played on a team before?"

Jack snorted. "Yeah right. Like I'd actually make it. I just play for fun."

"I think you could make a team. You've got talent—which is why I'm here today."

"I don't get it."

"I'm sure you know that I'm helping Coach Durham with the Ravens."

"Yeah."

"I was wondering, or hoping rather, that you might try out for him. I know he'd put you on the team. We could definitely use a player like you."

Jack glanced at Haley. "Is he joking?"

Haley smiled and shook her head. "No, he's serious. My husband never jokes about basketball."

"So, what do you say? Would you be willing to tryout?" Nathan inquired.

"I-I couldn't. There's no way, man. I'd get creamed."

"What do you mean?"

"Those guys pick on me. There's no way they'd want me playing with them. Besides, I've never played in front of a crowd before. I'd probably puke before even stepping onto the court."

Nathan couldn't help but chuckle. "We would work on that."

"No. I can't. No. It's too late in the season, anyway. Aren't the playoffs soon?"

"Which is why we need you. The team really isn't doing that well. You could help change that. And Haley told me you're a junior, so you could play next year, too. It's not too late."

"I can't." He looked down. "I'm sorry."

Nathan looked to Haley for help.

"Jack, you don't have to make a decision right now. Just think about it. I think it would be a really great opportunity for you," Haley stated.

"I—"

"Think about it. Just think about it," Haley repeated. "Can you at least do that?"

Jack sighed and stared back down at the table. "Fine. I'll think about it," he relented. "But that's still not a yes."

Nathan shot Haley a thankful smile. "I'll take what I can get."

* * *

Nathan heard Whitey blow his whistle, signaling the end of basketball practice. They all flocked to the bleachers to gather their things before heading to the locker room. Nathan shot a look to Quentin who nodded. He was supposed to head straight to tutoring now with Haley.

"I'll call one of the guys back to get the balls," Whitey said. They were spread out all over the gym.

"That's okay. I'll do it," Nathan volunteered.

"All right then. I'll be in my office if you need me."

Nathan grabbed the cart and collected the balls. When they were all recovered, he rolled the cart toward the storage room and paused. He stared at the hoop in front of him for a moment before staring at the cart. It had been so long since he'd shot a basketball. He missed the feeling of the ball in his hands.

Nathan looked around and saw that the gym was empty aside from him. His physical therapist didn't want him engaging in any sports activities. But one little shot couldn't hurt. It wasn't like he was running or pivoting on his knee. Now that would be bad.

He dribbled the ball and felt his body come alive with the sound of it hitting the court. God, he missed this. He faced the basket and took his stance. A second later, the ball went sailing from Nathan's hands towards the hoop. He sighed when it bounced off of the rim. Nathan grabbed another ball and took a second shot. Again it didn't go in. He shook his head in annoyance. What the hell was going on? He threw a third time. It almost went in before falling to the side.

"I suck," he muttered.

"I wouldn't say that. You're probably just rusty."

Nathan's whole body went as hard as stone at the sound of that voice. He wished that he wouldn't be able to recognize it so easily. But after hearing it all of his life, it was hard to forget.

Nathan finally turned around and faced his father. He was slightly taken aback by the man standing before him. His father used to always be dressed in some kind of expensive suit or business clothes. The sight of Dan Scott in jeans and a t-shirt seemed surreal. His hair was also longer and a little unkempt. His skin was paler than usual, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He looked awful.

"Hello, son."

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you. I'd heard that you were helping Whitey to coach the Ravens."

"You can't be here, Dan. In case you've forgotten, there's a restraining order against you."

"I know that. But I just thought—"

"Thought that what? That just because it's been four years and I'm suddenly back in town that it wouldn't matter anymore? Because it does."

"I know that you're still angry with me."

"Oh, you mean for always belittling me and pushing me the way that you did. And let's not forget about the time you almost cost me my marriage. So yeah, I guess you can say I'm still angry with you," Nathan bit out.

"I know how badly I behaved. And I'm here to tell you that I was wrong. I was hoping that maybe now would be a good time to talk and put it behind us."

"Well, it's not. It'll never be."

"Nathan—"

"The only thing I want from you is to leave me and my family alone. And if I ever find out that you've paid Haley another surprise visit, I swear I'll bury you."

"I realize now that I shouldn't have talked to Haley. I should've come directly to you."

"No, you shouldn't have come at all. Didn't the cops do anything?"

"They called, and I had to pay a fine."

Nathan rolled his eyes. What the hell was a fine supposed to do? That kind of money was probably a drop in the bucket to his father. So much for the Justice Department.

"Well, obviously the punishment will be more severe if you keep this up. So keep that in mind the next time you call the house and hang up."

Dan frowned. "I haven't called the house."

"Oh, please. You actually expect me to believe that?" His tone was incredulous.

"It's the truth. I haven't called your house, Nathan. I don't even know the number."

"You've been following Haley around. You don't think stalking is serious?"

"I wasn't stalking her. I was just curious. I'd heard that she was pregnant. Congratulations, by the way."

"Says the stalker," he muttered sarcastically.

"Do you know what you're having?"

"Yes, we do. Not that I'm going to tell you." Nathan turned to leave.

"Nathan. Nathan, wait!" Dan pleaded. "There's another reason why I came to see you."

Nathan started walking. "Whatever."

"I'm sick," Dan called out.

He halted mid-step but didn't face him. "Another ploy?"

"No, it's not. I'm sick, Nathan. My doctor says I don't have that much time left," Dan explained. "And I was hoping…"

Nathan felt his blood boil and whipped around to glare at his father. "Let me get this straight: the only reason you've sought me out was because of your condition so you could make some sort of last-minute amends. What, so you can die with a clear conscience? Assuming that you really are sick."

"I'm telling the truth."

"Well, that'd be a first in your lifetime."

"Nathan—"

"I'm gonna make this real simple. Just save it, Dan. Because whether you're sick and dying or not, I don't care."

"Nathan, you don't mean that."

"Yes, I do," he declared. "I stopped caring a long time ago. In fact, you're already dead to me. So it doesn't even matter."

"Nathan. Nathan, please…"

Nathan made a move to leave for a second time, with no intention of turning back. "Goodbye, Dan."


	22. Chapter 21

**AN: Hey guys, thank you all for the reviews last chapter. I had a really rough week. Pretty much everything having to do with technology wasn't working in my apartment. Unfortunately, that includes my laptop (which was only a year and a half old) crashing and dying. I'd mentioned before that I was going to write a fic called "Feeling a Moment." I was hoping to post it within the next month, but I lost all of the chapters I'd written. I also lost the final chapters of this story that I'd just finished. So I'm going to have to start all over again. Thankfully I had most of this fic already saved on a memory stick, which is why I'm able to continue updating regularly. As for my other fics, it might take a little time for me to finish them due to this setback. But as always I appreciate your patience and will try my best to get everything finished. Until then, enjoy this next chapter.**

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* * *

****Chapter 21**

_**March 19, 2012**_

Haley gathered her things together after her tutoring session with Quentin was over. He'd done rather well today, and she was impressed. He was actually pretty smart when you stripped away his attitude and sense of entitlement.

"Have a goodnight, Doris," Haley called. Doris Teague was older and an English teacher at the school. She also ran the Tutoring Center.

"You, too, Haley."

Haley opened the door and walked out into the hallway. She noticed Nathan leaning against a set of lockers across from her. "Hey, I thought I was going to meet you at the car."

"Whitey didn't need me. I figured I'd wait for you, and we could walk together."

"Aw, how sweet," she cooed playfully. She giggled when Nathan rolled his eyes. "I accept."

He held his hand out to her, and she took it. He also grabbed her bag of supplies from her as they made their way toward the front of the school and into the faculty parking lot.

Haley was trying to figure out what they should have for dinner. She didn't really feel like cooking. "Did you want to order in tonight?" she said and thought about it. "I'm not really in the mood for pizza. But they do have those really awesome cheesy breadsticks. I could go for one of those."

They got into the car and she continued, "But you know what I could really go for? Some sesame chicken. And rice. Oh, and I love egg rolls! That's it we're ordering Chinese."

She looked over at Nathan to see if he agreed and noticed that he was staring straight ahead. He didn't even seem to be paying attention to her. "Nathan," she said. When he didn't respond, she repeated, "Nathan."

He seemed to snap out of his daze. "Huh?"

"I was saying I think we should order Chinese tonight."

"Uh, sure. Whatever."

Haley scrutinized him more carefully. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You just seem a little…preoccupied."

Nathan shook his head and seemed to muster a bland smile. "It was a long practice."

He did look kind of wiped out, so Haley didn't prod any further. She just sat back in her seat and looked out the window. The rest of the ride was quiet.

When they finally got home, Haley headed for the kitchen to check the answering machine. Nathan followed and went to the refrigerator. He grabbed a beer and went into the living room to watch some sports show.

Haley played the messages. One was from Peyton and another was from Mouth. Mouth was now working for the local news station as a sports announcer, and he was hoping to get an interview with Nathan once he completed his rehab. There was also a message from a woman at the hospital Haley had called to find out about childbirth classes. It'd probably be another month or two before she attended them, but her doctor had advised her to sign up early.

The last two messages were blank. Haley shook her head and looked over at Nathan. He wasn't facing her, but she could see how tense he was. Not that she blamed him. If her jackass of a father kept calling the house and hanging up, she'd be worried, too. She wanted to call the police again, but Nathan told her to just let it go. Eventually Dan would get the message and stop. She hoped that he was right.

"Nathan, I'm calling the Chinese place now. Is there anything in particular that you want?" Haley questioned.

"No," he answered. "Get whatever you want."

"Okay."

Nathan tried to concentrate on the TV, but all he could think about was his conversation with Dan. He hated that he couldn't get it out of his head. It was so like his father to just barge into his life and try to change everything.

_Sick my ass_, Nathan thought moodily. It was probably just some ploy. He wouldn't put it past him. Unfortunately, he couldn't help but remind himself that Dan did kind of look like crap when he saw him. But that could be from anything. His stalking activities were probably just wiping him out. _Jackass_.

Nathan needed to get his mind off of it. He refused to let his father consume any more of his time or energy. And he sure as hell wasn't going to tell Haley. The last thing she needed was any added stress. All she needed to focus on was herself and their son.

"They said it should be here in forty-five minutes," Haley said, walking toward him.

When she got close enough, he gently pulled her onto his lap. She stared at him, a bit surprised. He leaned in to kiss her. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," she repeated, laughing softly.

His hand went to her face and brought her in for another kiss—this time longer and deeper. His other hand, meanwhile, caressed her back.

Haley moved her head to the side as Nathan kissed along her jaw and neck. She felt the hand that was on her back slide to the front. Before she knew it he was undoing the buttons of her blouse.

"What are you doing?"

She could hear the smirk in his voice when he answered. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

Haley was going to say that she meant to ask what had gotten him so hot and bothered all of a sudden. But the words died in her throat when he pushed her shirt open and mouthed his way down to her chest. Her blouse was completely gone seconds later.

Haley helped him remove his shirt and pants as he undid hers. Then he was carefully lowering her back onto the couch. The rest of their clothes were quickly discarded.

"We already made love in this room," she reminded him, a hint of teasing in her voice.

Nathan pulled back from her neck and smirked. "Second times the charm."

"It's supposed to be the third," she corrected.

"Then I guess we'll have to do it again," he replied in a deep, husky voice. It made her shiver with anticipation and desire.

His lips crashed onto hers as he entered her in one quick thrust. Haley whimpered loudly and dug her nails into his back. His movements were steady but knowing him the way that she did, Haley could sense an underlying urgency.

Nathan's hands and mouth roamed all over his wife as he drank her in. He didn't want to think about rehab or his failure to make a basket or his father's bullshit story. Haley was everything that was good and positive and stable in his life. And he needed that. He needed her.

Haley's fingers gently ran through her husband's hair and along his arms and back. She didn't know why, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but Haley just sensed that something was bothering him. She'd felt it on the way home, and she could feel it in his love making now.

She met his eyes for a few seconds, letting him know that she was there for him. Then she leaned up to capture his lips in a sensual, yet soothing kiss. She would always be there for him.

* * *

Nathan stared at the cell phone in his hand for several minutes, debating with himself. Finally he decided to just stop stalling and call his brother. He really needed to talk to Lucas. Nathan pushed a button and the phone automatically dialed the correct number. It took a couple of rings before Lucas answered.

"Hello."

"Hey, Luke, it's Nathan."

"Hey, Nate, what's up?"

"Um, nothing much. I'm just…" he glanced around. "I'm just hanging out at the River Court."

"Really? Nice. Did your physical therapist say that you could start practicing again?" He sounded optimistic.

"Uh, no. I just needed to take a walk, and I ended up here."

There was a pause on the other line for a few seconds. "Well, is everything okay? You sound kind of down or something."

Nathan rubbed his eyes. He'd wrestled with doing this over the past couple of days. He wasn't sure if he wanted to drag Lucas into it. But at the same time, if anyone would understand the situation, it would be Lucas.

"Dan stopped by the gym the other day to see me," he said, getting straight to the point.

Another pause. "What?" Lucas knew all about Dan showing up to see Haley and then calling the house. Nathan could instantly recognize the concern in his brother's voice.

"It's like he just popped out of nowhere."

"It sounds like him. What'd he say?"

"A lot of stuff. I'm not even sure I believe it. And even if I did, it's not like I'm going to do anything about it. He blew his chance to make things right a long time ago."

"Nate, I'm not following."

Nathan sat down on the picnic table and sighed. "He said that he was wrong for the way he behaved all of these years."

"Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack."

"What'd you say?"

"I told him it didn't matter. He's pulled too much shit for me to ever trust him again. I don't need that in my life right now."

"Good," Lucas asserted. "What'd he say to that?"

"Then he blurted out that he was sick and that his doctor said he didn't have that much time left."

There was complete silence on the other line for a few seconds. Then Lucas busted out laughing. "You've got to be kidding me. The whole I'm-dying-and-need-forgiveness routine. He actually pulled that?"

"Yeah, he brought the big guns out with that one."

"Please tell me you walked out on him right then."

"I did, but first I told him that it didn't matter and that he was already dead to me."

"That was a nice touch."

"Well, it's not like I liked saying it, but it's the truth. It's been four years. I want nothing to do with him. That's not going to ever change."

"Good for you for sticking it to him. I would've done the same thing."

"So you haven't heard from him?"

"No. Not at all," Lucas answered. "But if I did then I'd most definitely shut him the hell off."

"It was just weird," Nathan muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"Although I think he's full of crap, Dan did kind of look like a mess."

"Nathan, don't," Lucas warned.

"Don't what?"

"I know how you are and don't start obsessing over this. It's what Dan wants. He wants you to think about him and feel sorry, and you shouldn't. What you said, you didn't do anything wrong," he declared. "You have a right to tell the truth and say how you feel."

"I know you're right. I do. And it's crazy that I'm even thinking about this," Nathan mumbled in frustration. "But it just caught me off guard, man. I don't know."

"It's what Dan does best. And like always, you just gotta keep moving forward and live your life. All right?"

"Yeah," Nathan agreed. His brother made sense. Nathan had felt so free when he served his father with that restraining order four years ago. His life had been so much better after that. He shouldn't let one stupid recent encounter with his father throw him off.

"You okay now?"

"Yeah, thanks, Luke. I guess I just needed to talk to someone."

"You haven't told Haley?"

"No. She's focused on the baby and working with the kids at the high school. The whole Dan thing just stresses her out. She doesn't need that," Nathan explained. "Besides, I told Dan to stay the hell away from us. I don't think he'll be coming around again."

"He won't if he knows what's good for him."

"So, the playoffs are coming up. You ready?" He didn't want to talk about Dan anymore. He was done wasting his breath on him.

"You know I am. I've been working my ass off in the gym."

"Well, you know I'll be rooting for you."

"I'm sorry the Sonics didn't make it this year."

"It sucks, but there's nothing I can do except get myself back in shape. We'll kick ass next season."

"At least you're optimistic."

"I'm trying to be," Nathan muttered. He checked his watch. "Hey, Luke, I've got to run. I've got to be at the school in a half hour for basketball practice."

Lucas chuckled. "You're really getting into the whole coaching thing, aren't you?"

"You know what they say. Those who can't do, teach," he joked.

"True. Is the team getting any better?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"That doesn't sound good."

"I know. But we'll see. I'm trying to recruit this kid I found. He's really talented and so damn fast. He'd help put the team on a whole new level."

"He doesn't want to join, though, does he?" Lucas assumed.

"No. He doesn't get along with the players. They pick on him."

"I've been there. Those jocks can be real assholes." His brother's tone was mocking.

Nathan rolled his eyes even though he knew his brother couldn't see him. "I told you a hundred times I was sorry for—"

"Making my life a living hell," Lucas filled in. "I know. I just like to make you squirm. It's a very satisfying form of payback."

"You suck, you know that?" Nathan teased.

"I'm awesome."

"Well, I'm going. I'll talk to later, Luke."

"Bye, Nate. And try to resist the urge to kidnap one of the kids and throw him in a pit of mud. It can be very emotionally scarring."

"Goodbye, you dork." Nathan shook his head, laughing, and hung up.

* * *

Whitey had just blown his whistle, signaling the players to start their suicides, when Nathan heard the gym door open. He looked over and almost did a double-take as Jack walked in. He only made it as far as the bleachers before stopping.

"I'll be right back," Nathan said to Whitey and approached him. "Hey."

"Hey," Jack replied, reluctant.

"What's going on?"

Jack looked at the ground and twirled the basketball in his hand. "I, um, thought about what you said before."

"Yes."

"And…" he shrugged. "I thought…I'm not even sure why I'm here, honestly."

Nathan smiled knowingly. "I think I have an idea. And I'm glad you're taking this chance."

Jack nodded, still looking down.

"Hold on a sec, okay?"

"Okay."

Nathan made his way back over to Whitey.

"Who's that?" the old man asked.

"His name is Jack. He came to tryout."

Whitey stared at Nathan in bewilderment. "What?"

"I caught him playing in the gym one night; he's really good."

"We're almost to the playoffs, Nathan. It's too late. And a lot of kids are really good. It doesn't mean that they're good on a team."

"Whitey, I'm telling you he's talented. Not only is he good with maneuvering the ball, but he's damn fast. Even faster than Quentin," Nathan explained. "Just let the kid tryout. If he you don't like what you see, then fine. But at least give him the chance."

"I don't know—" Whitey began when Nathan cut in.

"You did the same thing for Lucas, and you know how well that turned out." He watched as Whitey frowned dubiously. Nathan knew that he'd gotten the old man with that one.

"Fine," he relented. "Bring the damn kid over here."

Nathan smiled and beckoned Jack to join them. Whitey looked him over before saying, "What position do you usually play?"

"Um, I'm usually all over. But I guess point guard is my best."

Whitey nodded and blew his whistle. The boys stopped running suicides and lined up. Almost immediately the players' eyes all honed in on Jack. "I want you boys to play a practice game. We're going to switch things up a little bit. Tom, you're going to sit this one out. Jack, you're in."

"Who the hell is he?" Quentin asked.

"That's none of your damn business. All you guys have to concentrate on is the game."

"You've got to be joking. I'm going up against him? The kid's a shrimp." Quentin, along with the other guys, chuckled.

Nathan could see Jack tense up next to him and stepped in. "Give him a chance. Unless you're afraid that he might actually be better than you."

Quentin scoffed. "I'm not afraid of anyone."

"Good, now get your asses on the court so we can start," Whitey barked.

Jack placed his ball and sweatshirt on the bleachers. He glanced back at Nathan once on his way to the court. Nathan gave him an encouraging nod. He knew Jack had this even if he didn't realize it yet himself.

Whitey blew his whistle again and the game began. It all happened so fast that Nathan almost missed it. Quentin had the ball and was dribbling down the court. That is until Jack seemed to swoop in and steal it from him. Jack maneuvered his way over to the basket, dodging defenders, and took a shot. The ball sailed perfectly through the hoop.

Nathan shot a look at Whitey who appeared just as dumbfounded as the rest of the guys on the team. The game continued from there. All of the players were hustling, but the big competition was definitely between Quentin and Jack.

By the look of frustration on Quentin's face the whole time, it was easy to see who was winning the battle. A loud, blaring whistle sounded in the gym to end the game. All of the guys hustled in.

Whitey was silent for a moment as they waited. Finally he said, "That was a very interesting game."

Nathan watched Jack. His face remained expressionless, but Nathan knew that he must be hanging on to Whitey's every word.

"You all played well. Very well. We'll pick up where we left off on Friday. Now hit the showers."

Nathan met Whitey's gaze, motioned toward Jack, and gave him a questioning look. There was a ghost of a smile on Whitey's face before he turned back to the guys. "Oh, and one more thing."

The players halted in getting their things. Jack was putting on his sweatshirt, preparing to leave. He didn't seem to be paying attention.

"Jack," Whitey called. The kid's head popped up in surprise, along with the other players. "Welcome to the Ravens, son."


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"No, I don't like that one."

"Why not?"

"Because it's too dark. Baby rooms are supposed to be light."

"It's my favorite color," Nathan argued.

Haley shrugged. "Well, your favorite color is too dark."

"Well, what color do you want?"

"I like this light blue," she said and walked over to the wall. She placed the paint sample against it in order to get a better visual.

She and Nathan had been in the room they'd chosen as the baby's nursery for the last hour. Neither one could agree on what color they wanted to paint it.

"Or we could go with a yellow."

"My son is not having a yellow room."

Haley placed her hands on her hips and stared at him. "What's wrong with yellow?"

"It's a girly color," Nathan pointed out.

"It is not. Your uniforms for the Sonics have yellow in them."

"But they're not all yellow. Just a little bit. If we paint the baby's whole room that color, it's going to be too much."

"Nathan, yellow is a unisex color. It can be used for both boys and girls. And if we didn't know the sex of the baby, we would be painting yellow anyways."

"But we know that we're having a boy. Therefore, no yellow is needed," Nathan replied, triumphant. "So let's stick to blue, okay?"

Haley rolled her eyes at him and muttered under her breath. Her husband could be so stubborn sometimes. "Fine, we'll stick to blue. But we are definitely not painting the room that stupid, dark color."

"I like it."

"Well, I don't. You want to talk about overpowering the room? That blue will most certainly do that. It gives me a headache just thinking about it."

"I don't like your blue," Nathan declared.

"And soon enough we're going to be blue in the face if we can't make some kind of mutual decision!" Haley exclaimed. She took a seat on the bed, exhausted after so much arguing.

Before they even painted the walls they would have to remove all of the furniture in the room. Haley inwardly groaned at that. They would probably have to hire someone. It's not like she or Nathan could move everything. She was pregnant, and he had to watch out for his knee.

Haley rested her hands on her stomach and sighed. They had so much to do before the baby was born. She was starting to feel a little overwhelmed.

Nathan noticed how quiet Haley had become. She was biting her lip and staring off into space—no doubt trying to figure out how to resolve this problem. Nathan threw the paint samples on the nightstand and sat down next to her on the bed.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

He recognized that as a lie. Haley was biting her lip. He knew that she was worried and pouting. "I didn't mean for things to get so heated."

"It's not that," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm just realizing how much work we have to do before the baby comes."

Nathan wrapped his arm around her shoulders and caressed her arm. "Hales, you don't have to worry about that. We'll get everything done. We've got four months yet."

"Vivian says it goes by fast."

"We'll be ready," Nathan reassured. He kissed her temple and pulled her into a hug. She was still for a moment and then suddenly pulled back. "What's the matter?"

Haley's mouth was open in what looked like surprise. Nathan followed her line of sight to her stomach. She put her hands there and smiled. "Oh my God."

"What?"

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" she beamed in excitement.

"Hales, I'm a little lost here. What's going on?" The confusion in his voice shifted to concern.

She met his eyes and smiled. "I just felt the baby kick!"

"You did?"

"Give me your hand." She placed it on the side of her stomach. "Wait for it."

Nathan's eyes were fixed on her baby bump as he waited. He actually felt himself becoming a tad anxious. He nearly jumped when he finally felt a small nudge under his hand.

"Oh my God," he muttered.

"I told you." Haley was so thrilled and relieved. Despite knowing that it was normal for some babies not to kick that much, Haley had started to get nervous. Now she felt so much better. She'd felt the baby moving inside of her before, but there had never been a kick. It was such an amazing feeling now that it finally happened.

"That's incredible," Nathan commented in awe.

Haley put her hand atop his. "That's our son."

Nathan grinned. "Hell yes it is."

"Honey, don't say 'hell.' Remember?"

"Right. Sorry." The baby was really starting to develop now, and they'd agreed to stop swearing. Haley had read an article that the baby could hear and recognize voices. The last thing she wanted was for him to hear them cursing. Haley wanted the baby to feel like he was in a positive and loving environment.

"He kicked again," Nathan announced.

"I know," Haley laughed. "I feel everything since, you know, he's kind of inside me."

"I think we should take a break and celebrate. Are you in the mood for a root beer float?" It's what his wife always craved the most.

Haley felt her mouth watering just imagining it. "When am I not?" she teased.

"Come on." He helped her stand up.

"I want extra spray whip," Haley told him.

"Of course." He kissed her cheek and led her downstairs to the kitchen. She sat down at the counter as he gathered the ingredients.

"So, I've been thinking…" Haley said just as he poured the root beer over the ice cream in their tall glasses.

"About what?"

"Well, we're always talking about the baby."

"Yeah, and?"

"So all we call him is 'him' or 'baby,'" she pointed out. "I think it's time we started looking at actual names."

When he finished putting the whipped cream on top, Nathan looked at his wife and smirked. "You already bought a book of baby names, didn't you?"

She blushed at having been caught. He knew her too well. "I was in the bookstore, and it was just sitting there…"

"Sure it was," he teased.

"Whatever." Haley rolled her eyes and laughed. "Do you want to start picking names now or not?"

"You know I do." He slid her root beer float over to her and smirked at how her eyes lit up in anticipation. Nathan still couldn't get over how amusing she was when she ate.

He was just about to sit next to her when his cell phone rang.

"Who is it?"

"It's Whitey." Nathan answered it quickly. "Hey, Whitey, what's up?"

Haley watched as Nathan's expression went from smiling to frowning. Whatever Whitey was telling him couldn't be good.

"What's wrong?" she asked when he finally hung up.

"I've got to head over to the school."

"Why? You don't usually go in on Thursdays."

"I know." He pushed his drink over to her and kissed her cheek. "But I've got to go."

"Nathan, what happened?"

"Quentin flipped out at practice today. I've got to go talk to him."

"Why?" She didn't quite understand why Nathan had to go to the school for that.

"Because he just quit the basketball team."

* * *

"I'm here," Nathan announced as he barged into Whitey's office. Whitey was sitting behind his desk with Jack across from him. "What the hell happened?"

"Quentin quit," Whitey replied.

"You already told me that on the phone. What I want to know is why did he quit?"

"Because of me," Jack muttered in a low voice.

"I don't get it."

"Do I have to point out the obvious? He doesn't want me on the team."

Nathan shared a look with Whitey and rubbed his hands over his eyes. This couldn't be happening now. They'd just had their second game of the playoffs and won. The team was actually starting to look good. Nathan wondered why Quentin would choose to leave now.

He got his answer when he thought about all the practices in which Quentin and a few of the other guys were trying to freeze Jack out of plays. But Jack still managed to move around on the court and make a few baskets. He'd even made the game-winning shot last Friday.

Quentin was threatened by Jack. That was obvious. He'd always been the most talented player on the team. Jack threatened that title. But what Nathan needed to make him understand was that quitting wasn't the answer. That he could be better than he was making himself out to be.

"I'll talk to him."

"It won't do any good," Jack said. "He hates me, and so do the others. They barely talk to me unless it's to say something insulting."

"I know it's hard, son," Whitey began, "but—"

"No, you don't know," Jack argued. He was visibly upset. "All they've been doing is ignoring me. And when they don't ignore me, they haze me. I never should've joined the team. It was a mistake."

Nathan sat down next to Jack. "It was not a mistake. You belong on this team, Jack."

"Try telling that to them," he exclaimed.

"Listen to me. I know what you're going through."

"No, you don't. I've heard about you in high school. You were the most popular guy here. Everyone looked up to you and respected you," Jack stated. "So don't try and tell me you know how I feel."

Nathan chose his next words carefully. They'd already lost Quentin. Jack looked like he was only a few minutes away from quitting, too. "You're right. I was one of the popular guys in high school. I wasn't bullied or picked on. I was the bully—just like Quentin. You, you're just like my brother Lucas. He'd never played on a real team before and yet Whitey let him join our junior year. And he was good. Lucas was damn good. I didn't want to admit it at the time. Instead, I just tried to make his life a living hell. I turned the other guys against him, and I hazed him.

"But you know what happened? He stayed. He fought back. Lucas earned the respect of the team, and eventually we got along. That's how we won the state championship our senior year. Lucas and I both realized that instead of trying to tear each other down, we were much stronger together. The rest is history."

"So you're saying that if I stick it out, the team and I will be the best of friends?" he questioned skeptically.

"It'll probably take time, but it'll be worth it."

"They think I drove Quentin away."

"I'm going to talk to him and see if he'll come back."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then this will be your team. I keep telling you that you've got talent. They'll only be able to ignore that for so long. Eventually they'll start accepting you. You'll see," Nathan encouraged.

"I've been coaching for a long time. Things like this happen, and then they pass. Nathan's right," Whitey added. "Don't throw away your future for something that won't last. We need you here, son."

Jack was silent for a moment. He ran a hand through his curly hair and shrugged. "Fine. I'll stick it out."

"Good. You're making the right decision, son," Whitey encouraged.

"Can I go now?"

Nathan nodded. "Yeah, go ahead."

"You've got a way with him. I'll give you that," Whitey said once Jack had left.

Nathan sat back in his chair and sighed in relief. At least they were still short one player instead of two. "Was there always this much drama when I was in high school?"

Whitey chuckled. "You already know the answer to that."

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Haley took a breath and waited for Peyton to answer. She'd just finished telling Peyton about her and Nathan's dilemma for the baby's nursery. Peyton was an artist. If anyone was an expert on colors, it was her.

There was silence before Peyton busted out laughing.

"What is so funny?"

"I'm sorry. I just find it amusing that you and Nathan are having such a hard time picking out one color."

"Gee, thank you for the recap," Haley muttered, un-amsued. "Now can you please help? I called you because you're the artist."

"All right, all right. In my artistic opinion, based on what you told me, I would say you should probably just go with good old baby blue. It's not too dark, and it's not too light."

Haley looked at the paint samples in front of her and found the one Peyton suggest. "That was one of the ones I liked."

"And if you want, maybe you can incorporate Nathan's dark blue by making it some kind of border. That way both colors are there and one isn't overpowering the other."

"You know, that's a good idea," Haley agreed. "I was actually thinking about doing a border around the walls. I thought it'd be cute if there were little basketballs."

"That'll be cute. You can have the basketballs and then the background will be that dark blue."

"Oh, that's perfect! Thank you, Peyton." Haley was sure that Nathan would be much more open to this new design.

"No problem. I'm happy to help," she replied.

"It's going to look great."

"I can't believe you're starting the nursery already. I can't believe I haven't seen you since Christmas."

"Me either. It feels like forever."

"How are you feeling?"

"Good. I mean, I still have some mood swings, cravings, and I swear I'm getting bigger by the minute but other than that I'm fine."

"What are you craving the most?"

"Ice cream and root beer floats. Nathan actually made one for me earlier. It was _so_ good."

"Now I want one," Peyton joked.

"I could go for another one. But I probably better not since Nathan had to leave and I drank his along with mine." It had just been sitting there on the counter, calling to her. It's not like Haley could let a perfectly good root beer float go to waste.

"Hey, you're pregnant. You get a free pass."

"Thanks," Haley laughed.

"I'm glad you called, though. I wanted to let you know that Jake and I will be visiting Tree Hill."

"Oh my God, when?" she asked excitedly.

"Sometime in June."

"How long will you be staying?"

"Probably for a couple of weeks. We'll be staying at my old house with my dad."

"Aw, I'm so happy to hear that. I miss everyone."

"We're looking forward to it."

"Well, let me know the exact dates. You guys will have to come over for dinner."

"Haley, you don't have to go through the trouble."

"I want you guys to come over and see the house."

"You'll be too tired by then."

"It's dinner, Peyton. It's no big deal," Haley reassured her. "Besides, I'm pregnant. I always want to eat."

Peyton laughed, and Haley could imagine her eyes rolling. "Okay, sure. You tell us the night, and we'll be there."

"Great!"

Haley left the kitchen and sat down on the couch in the living room. She grabbed the newspaper that Nathan had brought in earlier and rested her aching feet on the coffee table. Duke came and sat by her feet, taking a nap of his own. Haley continued to catch up with Peyton as she browsed over the articles.

"So the jerk comes up to Jake and actually asks him if he could look up the legislation on his case. I mean, talk about a lazy bastard. The last time Jake did that for him, the guy barely said thank you and totally took credit for figuring it out," Peyton stated. "I swear Jake needs to get out of there and find a better job…"

Haley didn't hear anything Peyton said afterward. She'd turned the page of the newspaper and completely froze after reading one of the headlines. Her whole body went numb and her mind hazy.

_Oh my God_, she thought. _I must be seeing things. _

It couldn't be true. Could it? She continued to gawk at the headline, dumbfounded.

"Haley. Haley? Did you hear me?" Peyton questioned, trying to get her attention.

"Peyton, um, I have to go. Something has come up. I'll talk to you later," Haley said absently. Her mind was racing.

"Is something wrong?"

She thought about lying, but Haley knew her voice would betray her. This was just too big to cover up. "Yes, there is," she answered honestly. She looked at the clock and wondered when Nathan would be home.

He was going to be devastated.

* * *

Nathan walked to the door of the small house in front of him. He knocked a few times and waited. He heard footsteps before the door finally opened.

"Oh, crap," Quentin muttered.

"It's nice to see you, too, Q," Nathan replied. "Can I come in?"

"No. I already know what you're going to say, and I can tell you right now the answer is no. I'm not going back on the team."

"Well, I'd like to know why you left in the first place."

"You already know. And when you get rid of that annoying troll, then we can talk."

"I hope you're not talking about Jack."

"You know I am."

Nathan sighed. "Quentin, I think you've got it all wrong. Please, let's just talk about this."

"No. I'm done. If you don't want me or my skills, then fine. I've got other options. Quentin Fields is nobody's second best."

"Oh, so you think Jack is better than you? You're suddenly second place now. Is that what the problem is?" Nathan inquired, challenging him.

"Nobody is better than me. Don't start twisting my words around."

"You just said that—"

"Screw what I just said. I told you what you have to do. Until then, I've got nothing more to say."

Nathan barely got a word out before the door slammed in his face. He groaned in frustration and shook his head. "Damn it." _That went well._

He probably shouldn't have egged on Quentin the way that he just did, but he couldn't help it. Quentin was acting completely childish and ridiculous. Nathan resolved to talk to him again soon. The kid needed to cool down. Nathan was sure Quentin would start to feel the absence of playing within a day or two. Then maybe he'd be ready to talk again.

Nathan couldn't reason with him when he got all cocky. Except this time it seemed like his ego was bruised more than anything. Quentin was used to being the best player on the team. He never had to work at it before. Now that Jack had joined the Ravens, Quentin didn't have as much control.

_Let him sulk and pout_, Nathan thought grumpily as he walked back to his SUV. He'd had a long day and wasn't going to dwell on it further. He just wanted to get back home to his wife and relax.

The ride home seemed to pass by quickly. Before Nathan knew it he was pulling up in front of the house. He parked the SUV in the garage and went inside.

"Hales," Nathan called.

"In here."

He followed the sound of her voice and soft music. Instantly he knew where to find her. Haley was sitting at the piano playing a song that Nathan didn't recognize. It was soothing nonetheless.

When she saw him, however, she stopped playing and stood up. Nathan closed the distance between them and took her in his arms. He leaned down to kiss her. He'd intended it to be a soft peck on the lips, but it quickly transformed into something much more heated.

Haley's hand wound through his hair, keeping him close. Her mouth moved passionately over his with a force that almost made him step back. He was breathless when they finally broke apart.

"Well, hello to you, too," he joked. Nathan's smile faded quickly, though, at her expression. Haley didn't look happy or excited. Her face was solemn and apprehensive—like she was gearing up for something terrible.

Nathan felt his senses heighten, preparing himself for the worst. "What's wrong?" He brought his hand to her cheek. "Are you okay? Is it the baby?"

"I'm fine," she answered.

He frowned. Her expression still hadn't changed. "Then what's that look for?"

"I don't know how to tell you this. There's really no easy way to say it."

"Haley, just tell me," Nathan urged. He wanted to know what the hell was making Haley so nervous. "You know you can tell me anything."

"It's not me I'm worried about."

"Hales." He rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. She was so tense and on edge. It was only increasing his sense of dread.

"Nathan." Haley's eyes watered as she stroked his cheek gently. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Dan is dead."


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

_**April 5, 2012**_

Nathan stood completely frozen as Haley's words echoed in his head. They kept repeating over and over again, and yet he just couldn't comprehend their meaning. It couldn't be true. It was impossible. Dan wasn't dead.

But that's what the headline read. Haley held the newspaper in her hands. It was opened to the second page where an article announced the death of Dan Scott. The bold title jumped off of the page and burned itself into his mind.

Nathan took the newspaper out of Haley's hands and began to read. "'Dan Scott, forty-two, the owner of Scott Motors, North Carolina's largest car dealership, and father of NBA Golden Boys, Lucas Scott and Nathan Scott, passed away last night due to heart disease. Scott had been ill for a couple of years and was placed on a list of patients who were waiting to receive a heart transplant. His doctors say that he would have been next in line, but it was too late…'"

"Oh my God," Nathan mumbled, not bothering to read the rest. His mind instantly flashed back to the conversation he'd had with Dan almost three weeks ago. "He was telling the truth."

Haley placed a hand on his shoulder. "Nathan."

"He was actually telling the truth."

"Nathan, what are you talking about?" Haley questioned tentatively. He looked like he was in some kind of daze. She knew that he would probably be upset. As awful as Dan was and no matter how much Nathan hated him, the man was still his father.

"He came to see me a few weeks ago. He told me that he was sick."

Haley tried to meet his eyes, but Nathan still wouldn't look at her. "Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice wasn't angry or accusing. It was simply soft and concerned.

"Because I didn't believe him. And even if he was sick, it's not like it would've changed anything. I kicked him out of my life for a reason."

"There was nothing wrong with that decision."

Haley couldn't quite decipher what Nathan was feeling. She sensed that he was sad and possibly feeling guilty. He had this tendency to take the heavy burdens of his family and bring them onto himself. Haley didn't want that to happen now when he was obviously distressed about Dan's passing. It was something that was completely out of his control.

"I know that."

"Do you want to sit down? Do you want me to get you anything?" Haley offered, a little desperate to break him out of his trance.

"No."

She rubbed his shoulder gently. It was a few more seconds before he finally moved. Haley watched as he pulled away from her and headed for the door. "Where are you going?"

"To call Lucas," he replied, emotionless.

* * *

Haley opened the sliding glass doors in the kitchen and walked out onto the patio with her cell phone in hand. She needed to make a call and didn't want Nathan to overhear. It probably wouldn't be a problem since he was upstairs, but Haley didn't want to take a chance.

It only took two rings before Brooke answered. "Haley, thank God it's you."

"Hey, Brooke. Is everything okay?"

"If by 'okay' you mean my fiancé is emotionally shattered by the death of his jackass of a father and refusing to admit it, then yeah. Everything's just great."

"So Lucas isn't taking it well?" It had been two days since Nathan called his brother and told him about Dan's death. Haley had asked Nathan afterward how Lucas had reacted. All Nathan had said was that Lucas was shocked, but he'd be okay.

Haley didn't believe that for a second.

"He is, but that's the problem. He's too calm. I know he's upset and trying to hide it. What about Nathan?"

Haley sighed. "Not so good. I mean, he's been keeping to his normal routine for the last couple of days, but I know that this is affecting him more than he's letting on. I've just been trying to keep things calm and give him some space."

Nathan had sort of closed himself off. As much as it usually bothered Haley, she was trying to be understanding. Nathan was grieving whether he would admit it or not. All she could do was be there for him whenever he needed her. Nathan didn't say much, but he had his moments when he'd suddenly pull Haley into a hug or rest against her in the middle of the night.

Haley didn't say anything either. She simply comforted her husband as best she could, letting him know that she was ready to listen when the time came.

"That's what I probably should've done."

"Why? What happened?"

"I've been trying to convince Lucas that we should go down to Tree Hill."

"Are you going to go to the funeral on Monday?"

"No. Lucas doesn't want to—not that I blame him. But you and Nathan are down there, as well as his mom and Keith. We should all be together. I think it would really help him."

"Well, we're not going to the funeral either. But you know that I'd love to see you guys. Nathan's agent, Clay, actually flew in yesterday." After Nathan had called Lucas, he immediately called Clay. The local media and some national networks had been trying to contact them for a statement. Haley was sure that they were only curious to see if this new tragedy, along with his injury, would finally cause Nathan to break under the strain. The media loved nothing more than to see a hero fall. Clay had taken the first available flight out of Seattle so that he could help Nathan and keep the media firestorm at bay.

"Lucas's agent has been working nonstop, too. Hell, I've even been getting calls."

Haley ran a hand through her hair. "I can't stand it. It's hard enough without all of the cameras from the local media. They've been outside our house, you know."

"That's awful."

"Clay's dealing with them as we speak. Nathan actually cut through our neighbor's yard just so no one would see him leaving the house."

"Ugh, the paparazzi can kiss my ass," Brooke muttered.

"That's a heck of a statement," Haley teased.

Brooke laughed. "Well, you know me."

"Yes, I do." Haley heard a knock on the sliding glass door and saw Clay. "Hey, Brooke, I've got to go."

"Okay. I'll let you know if Lucas and I decide to come down there. The playoffs start next week, so maybe I can convince him to squeeze it in."

"All right. I hope you do."

"See you soon—maybe."

"Bye." Haley walked back into the house. "Hey, Clay, what's up?"

"I just finished up the press conference, so we should be all set."

"You think so?"

"Nathan just lost his father. The media will respect that and give him some space—especially after the mini speech I just gave."

"Thank you for doing that and flying down here."

"Well, I'm not just Nathan's agent. I'm his friend, too. I had to come and make sure he was all right."

"We appreciate that."

Clay nodded and checked his watch. "He's not up yet?"

"No. He doesn't have physical therapy or coaching today, so he can sleep in. It's been a rough end of the week." Haley walked over to the refrigerator. "I was going to make some lunch. Did you want anything?"

"Um, I'll have whatever you're having if it's not too much trouble."

"Of course not. I was going to make some homemade mac and cheese."

Clay smiled. "I love that stuff."

"Me, too. You've got good taste."

He took a seat at the counter and placed down his cell phone. "So, how are you holding up? You're looking…much more pregnant than the last time I saw you."

Haley glanced over at him and laughed. "Did you just call me fat?"

"No, but I think it sounded like I did." He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Lucky for you, I'm just not in the mood to kill anyone today."

"That's a relief. But seriously, how are you feeling about all of this?"

Haley continued to gather all of the ingredients together. "Honestly, it's hard but my main focus is Nathan. I never liked his father, and he never liked me. So it's not exactly any loss to me."

"I think Nathan told me once that he tried to break you guys up."

"Yeah, it was awful." Haley couldn't help but cringe at the memory. Dan had caused so many problems in their lives and hurt them so many times. She was trying to be the bigger person, but a part of her couldn't stop thinking that the world would be a better place without Dan Scott in it anymore.

"I never really had a father. He died when I was young, so it was always just my mom and me."

"I'm sorry."

Clay shrugged. "I never really knew him, so it's not the same. Did you need any help with that?"

"Um…" Haley held the baking dish of mac and cheese in her hands. "Sure. This needs to go in the oven." It was getting more and more difficult to maneuver with her growing stomach.

"You sit down. I'll do it."

"Thank you," Haley said and handed it to him.

"Do you mind if I make some coffee? I'll do it," he added when she started to get up again.

"Okay. I'm sure Nathan will want some when he gets up."

Haley sat in her seat and talked with Clay as he set up the coffee pot. He retook his seat as it brewed. Meanwhile, Haley was telling him about her tutoring and Nathan's coaching of the Ravens. Clay seemed genuinely interested.

"So this kid Jack is good, huh?"

"Yes. Nathan said he's very talented."

"And so is Quentin, right?"

"Yes. Although he's not currently on the team."

"Hmm…"

"Don't get any ideas, Clay," Haley warned. "They're just kids."

Clay gave her his signature charming smirk. "It's never too late to check out players with potential."

"Down boy," Nathan interrupted as he walked into the kitchen. He was still in his pajama pants and his hair was ruffled.

"Hey, sleepy head," Haley greeted. "How are you feeling?"

"I need coffee."

"Clay put a pot on. It should be done by now. You missed breakfast, but I'm making lunch if you're hungry." Haley got up to check on the mac and cheese. The timer would be going off soon.

"Something smells good."

"She's making mac and cheese," Clay told him.

Nathan smirked and pecked her lips. "Of course she is." He rubbed Haley's stomach briefly before facing Clay. He was a little apprehensive. "So, how did the press conference go today?"

"It went well. I don't think as many reporters will be coming around the house and hounding you."

"Good." Nathan breathed a sigh of relief.

"The food is done," Haley announced.

"I'll get it," Clay offered. Nathan quirked an eyebrow. "Haley mentioned that it's harder for her to bend over. I thought I'd help her out."

"I never took you for the homemaking type," Nathan teased and opened a cabinet to get some plates. Haley, meanwhile, was getting cups and utensils.

"I'm just full of surprises. Besides, we agents aim to please."

"Works for me," Haley beamed. She paused for a moment and put a hand on her stomach.

"You okay?" Nathan asked.

"Yes. The baby's just really kicking today."

"He's kicking already?" Clay seemed surprised.

"Yeah. You want to feel?"

"Sure." He was a little hesitant at first before finally putting his hand on Haley's stomach.

"It's right here," she directed.

"Whoa." Clay pulled his hand back quickly. "That's freaky."

Haley shook her head and laughed. "Are you kidding? It's so cool. Oh crap, I have to pee again. I'll be right back."

Nathan chuckled softly to himself at Clay's bemused expression. "Since when is she so honest?" he joked.

"Since she has to go every five seconds all of the time. Announcing that she's going to the bathroom has become like second nature to her."

"Interesting."

"Just wait until you have kids, man."

"That won't be for awhile, I hope. I'm still playing the field." Clay motioned to the dish of mac and cheese. "Can we start digging in yet?"

"You better let Haley do it. If you mess up the whole thing and cut into it the wrong way she'll go berserk."

Nathan smirked as Clay took a few steps back from the plate. "Duly noted."

"Okay, I'm back," Haley proclaimed. "Who's hungry?"

* * *

"Nathan, honey, Clay left. Did you want to—" Haley halted as she walked into their bedroom. Nathan was sitting on their bed putting on his shoes. "Where are you going?"

"I was going to head down to the River Court and see if I could catch Quentin. We need him back on the team."

"Oh, I thought you were going to stay home today. You've been rushing around so much lately. I thought we could spend the day watching movies and pigging out on popcorn."

"Maybe later."

"Are you sure?" Haley questioned. "I think it would be good if—"

"I'm sure. I've got to talk to him." Nathan stood up and grabbed his wallet off of the nightstand.

"Okay."

"You're disappointed," he noticed. Haley had that sad, puppy dog look on her face.

"With everything that's been going on, I thought it'd be nice if we just relaxed today and spent some time together."

He closed the small gap between them and pulled her into his arms. "We will. I won't be gone long."

"But the baby wants you to stay home," she mumbled with a small, beseeching smile.

Nathan grinned at her new approach and kissed her tenderly. "I promise that you and the baby will have me all to yourselves when I get home."

Haley played with the collar of his shirt. "I know. It's just that…"

"What?" Nathan prodded and rubbed her back.

"I don't like feeling so disconnected from you. I know you're going through a hard time and trying to keep busy—"

"Haley."

"—but I want you to know that I'm still here."

"I do know that."

"And it's okay if you need to talk to me and get some things off of your chest. You don't have to act like everything is fine around me. I'm not too pregnant to listen," she tried to joke.

Nathan brought a hand to her cheek and caressed it. "I know. I'm just…I refuse to let him get to me—even in death. He is not going to dictate my life."

Haley nodded in understanding. "If that's how you really feel." She wasn't sure that Nathan was telling the whole truth. She felt like a part of him was still in denial and downplaying his emotions. But for now, she'd let him handle it the way he needed to.

"It is."

"Just don't distance yourself too much." Haley glanced down at her stomach. "We need you."

Nathan kissed her once more. "I know."

* * *

Nathan parked next to the River Court and watched for a moment as Quentin dribbled the basketball in his hand. He needed a little time to collect his thoughts and focus. His last talk with Quentin had been a disaster. Nathan was hoping that the second time around would be better.

Quentin had stopped dribbling and was now looking at his car. Realizing that he was as ready as he was going to be, Nathan got out of the car and walked onto the court.

"Oh, great. Not you again."

"Yes, me again," Nathan replied. "I wasn't done talking the last time."

"And like I told you, I'm not going back on that team while the troll is there."

"Quentin, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to play ball. If you'd just leave me the hell alone, maybe I—"

"I meant with your life," Nathan interrupted.

Quentin shook his head and shot the ball in his hands. "It's whatever, man."

"And what does 'whatever' mean?"

"It means leave me the hell alone."

"You want to know what I think it means?"

"No."

Nathan ignored him and continued on anyway. "I think you're scared. For the first time in your life, you've actually got someone to challenge you. For the first time, you're not the absolute best there is. You've actually got to work for what you want, and it's freaking you out."

"You don't know shit about me."

"Then tell me what's going on, Q. Enlighten me, because I want to know why you are throwing away your future."

"You wouldn't understand." He made a move to walk off of the court, but Nathan stood in his way.

"Yes, I would."

"Like hell you would. You don't know the first thing about me or my life. You were just a rich, spoiled little white boy with a good jump shot. Whether you were good at ball or not you would've had everything handed to you. So don't stand there and tell me you get me."

"So you think that just because I came from money means that I didn't have to work for everything I've gotten?" Nathan retorted.

"I read that article about your father in the paper. How he molded you into a star player after himself. They call it the 'Scott Pedigree.' Are you seriously going to stand there and try to compare yourself to me?" Quentin challenged. "Because I have no father. It's just my mom, little brother, and me. We don't have money or connections. All I know is that I've had a talent for basketball since I was a kid and now I'm trying to put it to good use. It's the only way I can help my family. But then you put Jack on the team and now it's suddenly like everything I've done for that team is worth nothing!"

"It's not worth nothing. You are an asset to the team. But what you fail to realize is that the game isn't all about you."

"Is that a lesson your daddy taught you?"

Nathan felt the anger bubble up from within him and tried to keep it at bay. It was obvious that Quentin was trying to rile him up. "No. My dad actually had the same belief that you do. He always told me that I was the best. That the Ravens were my team and nobody else's. So I played selfish on the court and tried to make most of the plays myself. I wouldn't listen to Whitey. And for a while I felt big and important, just like my father wanted me to. But you know what else I felt?"

Quentin shrugged. He was trying to look indifferent, but Nathan could tell that he was hanging on to his every word.

"Completely and utterly alone."

"Oh, come on," he snorted.

"I'm serious. You and everyone else think that I had this perfect life, and that my dad was this great man. But he wasn't," Nathan explained. "He pushed me and pushed me and pushed me, and no matter how hard I tried nothing was ever good enough for him. I could play the best game of my life, and he would make me feel like a failure. You know what happens when you're under that kind of constant pressure?"

Quentin didn't say anything, but Nathan had his full attention.

"You break. And when you've been so focused on yourself the whole time that you ignore the people around you, then no one is there to help break the fall. I've had a lot of demons to deal with in my life—my father being the worst—but it wasn't until my brother joined the Ravens that it started to get better. At first I was pissed because he was a good player—just as good as me. He took my position and my teammates started to like him. I was furious, and it was bad enough that we'd already hated each other back then. But he made it easier for us to win games. I didn't have to be the one that everybody relied on.

"It turned out that we played great together. It made our team stronger. We played better, we looked better, and the scouts took notice. Eventually Lucas and I realized that we had more in common than we thought. We finally became friends, which pissed my dad off, but it's what helped us get to where we are today."

Quentin cleared his throat and looked away from Nathan. "So what does that have to do with me?"

"I'm sorry you don't have a father, Q. But I've seen your mother and your brother at your games, and it's easy to see how proud they are of you. You have their complete support. I've never had that," Nathan told him. "And Jack didn't join the team to replace you. He's there to help you. If you could work together and combine your talents, then I know that you'd both be a force to be reckoned with on the court. Trust me, the scouts and fans will take notice. And while you probably don't want to hear this, you might even end up with a good friend by the end. You said yourself that you're trying to use your talent to help yourself and your family. Don't let something as stupid as your pride get in the way of that."

Nathan met Quentin's gaze once more, trying to drive home his point. He was pretty sure the message got through when Quentin shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at the ground. He didn't make a move to say anything sarcastic or aggravating like he usually did.

Nathan decided to let Quentin take some time to process what he'd just said. If he didn't change his mind and come back on the team, then there was nothing else that Nathan could do. At least he tried to reason with him. The rest was up to Quentin.

Nathan made a move to leave. He started for his SUV when Quentin called out to him. Nathan faced him once more. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry about your dad."

Nathan nodded. "Me, too."


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Nathan took a sip of his beer and flipped over a couple more hamburgers and hot dogs. The weather was sunny and warm—the perfect day for a barbecue with friends and family.

"Hamburger or hot dog?" he asked his brother. Lucas and Brooke had flown down to Tree Hill on Saturday and would be staying for a couple of weeks. Well, Brooke more so than Lucas. His brother's team was in the semi-finals, so he would be traveling to his games. But at least they had a few days to spend together before he left.

"Both."

Haley smiled at Lucas, unsurprised. "I figured."

"What about you, Hales?" Nathan questioned.

"I'll have both, too." The two brothers stared at her in bemusement. Haley rolled her eyes and held out her plate. "What? Your son is hungry."

Nathan placed a kiss on her forehead. "I know. We were just teasing you."

After she got her food, Nathan watched Haley walk over to the table on the patio. Karen and Brooke were already sitting down and talking.

"I guess it really shouldn't be a surprise. Haley's always had an appetite," Lucas joked.

Nathan smirked. "Not like she does now. She'll be back for seconds."

"If she hears you, then you'll both be dead." Keith had joined them, carrying more beers.

"Thanks," Lucas said as he handed him one.

Nathan smirked. "Well, Brooke is talking pretty loudly. I think we'll get away with it."

"That might be true," Keith grinned. "So where are us guys sitting?"

"We can get the pool chairs."

"I wouldn't mind lounging for a couple of hours. My body's been killing me."

"That was a rough game that you had last week," Nathan stated as he put the rest of the food on a plate and shut the grill. He followed Lucas and Keith toward the pool. "You did good, though."

"Thanks." Lucas groaned as he took a seat. "Is that water cold? Maybe it'll numb the pain. I should just jump in."

"It's heated."

"Damn."

"But it's not too hot, so be my guest."

"Do you use it for physical therapy at all?"

"Not yet, but I will. I can't swim for another two months."

"That sucks."

Nathan shrugged and took a bite of his burger. "It all does. I'm used to it by now."

* * *

"That sucks."

"What am I going to do? When you run a business, sometimes you just have to bite your tongue and let things go."

"I'd punch the guy in his ugly face."

"He actually wasn't ugly."

"Yeah, well, let's see how he looks with a broken nose," Brooke muttered.

Haley laughed. Brooke was too much sometimes. It didn't surprise Haley that her friend would have such a strong reaction to Karen's story about a difficult customer.

"So do you punch the annoying customers that come into your stores?" Haley questioned.

"I don't work in the stores, so that crisis is averted. Although, I did fire an employee last week."

"What for?" Karen asked.

"I found out that she was giving away freebies to her sister and friends."

"Oh, that's not good."

"Tell me about it. She's gone now—good riddance."

While Brooke and Karen continued their conversation, Haley glanced over at Nathan. He was sitting with Lucas and Keith by the pool, talking. He was smiling, which was good. Yesterday had been rough for him. It had been the day of Dan's funeral. They hadn't gone, but she could tell that it was on Nathan's mind for most of the day. Deb was on vacation with Andy, but even she had called to check in when she'd heard the news. Haley was just thankful that Brooke and Lucas had shown up when they did. Having Lucas around was a good distraction for her husband, and vice versa.

"They seem to be doing okay."

Haley was startled by Karen's voice. "Oh. What?"

She nodded toward the guys. "It's good that they are smiling and laughing."

"I'm just glad I got Lucas to come," Brooke said, shaking her head. "That boy can be so stubborn."

"How's he been doing?" Haley was just as worried about Lucas as she was Nathan.

"He's been focusing on basketball."

"Has he said anything about"—Karen hesitated—"about Dan?"

"No. I guess he's dealing with it in his own way. At this point, I'm just letting him do what he wants."

"What about you and Keith, Karen?" Haley interjected.

"What about us?"

"You guys have a history with Dan. You in particular were…well, you were once close. Have you been okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm not going to lie and say that I'm okay with Dan's death. But I guess I'm not exactly distraught by it, and neither is Keith. After the way he treated the both of us, we learned to let him go a long time ago," Karen explained. "We've built our life together, and we're proud of that. Instead of being stuck in the past, we're focusing on the present."

"Good for you," Brooke encouraged. "I wouldn't give that bastard a second thought."

"Brooke," Haley admonished.

"What? He is. Karma's a bitch."

"Don't swear. The baby might hear you."

"Does he even have ears yet?"

Haley gasped in mock horror. "Are you picking on my unborn child?"

"No. Just wondering."

"For your information, yes, he can hear. And I don't want my son's first words to be a swear."

"He won't be talking when he first comes out."

"But he might recognize the word if everyone keeps saying it."

"He'll be fine. But rest assured, your belly is now a no-swear zone."

"Thank you," Haley replied. A moment later, she, Brooke, and Karen all jumped when they heard the guys shouting about something.

"I remember that! That guy was such an asshole!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Lucas," Brooke shouted to him. "Watch your mouth! This is a no-swearing zone."

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you want your nephew's first word to be 'asshole'?" She interrupted him before he could speak. "I don't think so."

"You do realize that you just said it again, right?" Haley reminded her with an amused smile.

"Shit. You're right."

"Brooke," Haley laughed along with Karen.

Brooke took a deep breath to calm herself. "This is going to take some practice."

* * *

Haley put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher before wiping down the kitchen counter. Once finished, she walked into the living room to join Nathan on the couch.

"That was so much fun today," she said and rested her head against his shoulder.

Nathan smiled and patted her knee. "Yeah, it was."

Haley was glad that Nathan seemed to be in a good mood. That was the whole point of having everyone over. Dan's death and this whole funeral business were hard enough. She didn't want to see her husband moping around the house, thinking about Dan and feeling guilty. Nathan didn't do anything wrong.

"So, what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "What do you want to do?"

"Well, if you're up to it, I was thinking that maybe we could work on the nursery some more."

Nathan smiled and nodded his head. He couldn't think of a better distraction than working on the baby's room. He'd had a great day with his family earlier. It was nice having Lucas and Brooke around. Nathan had promised that he wouldn't give Dan a second thought, but that was easier said than done these last few days. It helped having his brother here in Tree Hill. Lucas knew what he was going through, and they could try to forget about Dan together.

"Great. Let me just get—" She was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Nathan announced. He got up off of the couch and headed to the foyer. He opened the door to reveal a man wearing a gray suit. He looked to be in his forties and of medium height with thin brown hair. "Can I help you?"

"Are you Nathan Scott?"

"Yes."

"My name is Patrick Dewit."

"Look, if you're selling something then I'm really not—"

"I'm not selling anything," he interrupted. "I'm your father's attorney."

"What does he—" Nathan began and caught himself. "What do you want?"

"There was to be a reading of your father's Will today. Neither you nor your brother was there."

"We know. We missed it on purpose. Look, I don't really care what my father left to me. I don't want it." Nathan moved to shut the door, but the man put a hand out.

"Please, Mr. Scott. I only need a few minutes of your time," Mr. Dewit pled. "I have to let you know what you're entitled to. When you know, then you can do whatever you want with what your father gave you."

"Nathan," Haley called curiously, "who is it?" She stood just behind him, a little off to the side.

"It's my father's lawyer."

"What's going on?"

"Hello. You're Mrs. Scott, I presume."

"Yes." Haley looked to Nathan, still not understanding.

"He's here to tell me what my father left me."

"Oh."

"It will only take a few minutes. It's very important."

"Come on in." Nathan shot a look to Haley. She whispered to him, "Let's just get it over with. Then we'll never have to deal with this again."

Haley led Mr. Dewit into the dining room. "Is there anything that I can get for you?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

They all took their seats. Under the table, Nathan could feel Haley take his hand.

"I'm sorry for your loss. And I'm not going to take up much of your time, so I'll get right to it." Mr. Dewit reached into his briefcase and pulled out a folder and some papers. "Now, this here is your copy of the Will."

Nathan took it from him and reluctantly looked it over. He'd had such a great day. This was not how he wanted to end it.

"If you read further down, you'll see that your father left you a hefty sum of money that he'd saved up. Your father's house will also be yours, as well as his car dealership. However, Scott Motors will be co-owned by you and your brother Lucas."

"You can keep it all. I don't want or need it any of it."

"Since it was left to you, it is your decision to do what you want with it. If you want to sell or give any of these things away, that's fine. But I can't do anything further."

"Is that it?" Nathan questioned. He just wanted this guy to leave already.

"There is one more thing."

Haley squeezed Nathan's hand to calm him. She noticed that he was starting to lose his patience.

"What's this?" Nathan asked when he was handed an envelope. He recognized it as his father's stationery.

"It is a letter your father wrote to you. He told me that it was of the utmost importance that you read it."

Nathan dropped the letter on the table as if it burned him. "Are we done?"

Mr. Dewit nodded and placed the rest of his things back into his briefcase. Haley stood up to show him out. Meanwhile, Nathan stared at the Will and letter before him. He looked away when he heard Haley return.

"Nathan, did you want to tal—"

He quickly interrupted her. "Let's go upstairs. We have a nursery to fix up."

* * *

Nathan sat on the couch in the living room, gazing at the letter lying on the coffee table. It was the middle of the night, and he couldn't sleep. He'd tossed and turned in bed until he finally decided it was useless to try to sleep. Nathan got up and left before he woke Haley with all of his fidgeting.

He'd come downstairs to get a drink of water and ended up adding some whiskey to it. Nathan was sure that Haley would disapprove if she saw him, but he needed all the help he could get at the moment. He'd been tense and anxious ever since that lawyer had shown up. Nathan didn't want what is father had left him. And he sure as hell didn't want the damn letter. He'd burned the other one for a reason.

Nathan was tempted to throw this one in the fire, too. Unfortunately, he kept hearing the lawyer's voice in his head saying that it was important. But then again, Dan thought that everything he had to say was important—whether you wanted to hear it or not.

Nathan picked up the letter, cursed, and then put it back down. He took a large gulp of his whiskey and picked the letter up a second time. With an agitated sigh, he began to open it. Nathan didn't want his hands to shake, but he could feel a slight tremor in them.

He pulled the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it. Taking a deep breath, Nathan mentally prepared himself for what he was about to read. It was probably nothing more than Dan's second attempt at an apology. For the most part, Nathan was right.

Dan began the letter saying that he was sorry. That he'd made a mistake in how he treated him and Lucas all those years. That he'd been a terrible father and should've let Nathan know how proud he was of him. And he was proud.

Nathan resisted the urge to scoff. _You're only twenty-four years too late_, he thought. He kept on reading, though. Dan talked about some memories he had of Nathan when he was young. It was no surprise that they all centered on basketball. He told him how great he was in that State Championship game he won for the Ravens in high school. The games he won for the Blue Devils in college. And later getting drafted into the NBA. Dan told him to enjoy it, and never take it for granted. That was the mistake that he'd made.

Nathan thought that would be it. That his father had said enough. He was surprised to see that there was another whole page to the letter. What else could he possibly talk about? Nathan tried to read faster, eager to be finished. But the more he read, the more the muscles in his stomach twisted.

His eyes widened, and he shook his head. Nathan couldn't believe what he was reading. What his father was telling him. Dan couldn't be right. He couldn't be telling the truth. He couldn't be telling him all of this now. Nathan quickly felt his anxiety transform into pure anger. How could his father do this to him? Why did he have to wait until he was dead to write this in a damn letter? Even in death his father was a complete bastard.

Nathan crumpled the letter in his hands and got up from the couch. He grabbed Haley's laptop off of the side table and sat at the kitchen counter. He waited for it to start and boot up. When it was ready, he opened up Google and typed in the name he'd read in the letter. The first site to pop up was Wikipedia. Nathan skipped over that one. He needed a serious website that could be trusted.

He found a link to a government medical site and clicked on that one. Nathan read over the content of the site more than once. He still couldn't quite wrap his head around it. His pulse quickened and his body went rigid. Nathan felt like he was going to be sick.

"Nathan," said a soft voice.

Nathan jumped and put a hand to his heart. His looked back at the website and his fingers tensed over his chest.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Haley apologized in a sleepy voice.

"What are you doing up?"

"I noticed you weren't in bed. I thought I'd come check on you." She nodded to the computer. "What are you doing?"

"I read my father's letter." The words had popped out before he could even think about them.

"What did he say? I mean, if you want to tell me," she quickly added. "It was your letter."

"He said that he was sorry and that he was proud of me."

"Oh. Well, that's…not bad."

Nathan smiled humorlessly and shook his head. "It was total bullshit."

"Why?" Haley didn't understand what he was talking about. It didn't help that she was still half asleep. She walked closer to Nathan and got her first good look at the computer screen. "What are you looking up? What's 'hypertrophic cardiomyopathy'?"

"It's called HCM for short."

"But what is it?" she asked.

"It's the heart disease that my father had."

Haley frowned. "Is that what caused his heart failure?"

"I don't know. Probably."

"What does that have to do with you?" Nathan looked away from Haley and back at the website. "It says here that HCM is hereditary. It's also what my father said in his letter."

"Nathan, I don't understand."

"This condition is serious and is prominent among athletes. Players have collapsed during games and died from it."

Haley folded her arms in an effort to keep her hands from shaking. She was starting to get really nervous now.

"There's a chance I could have it, Haley. And if I do have it, my basketball career could be over."

"How much of a chance?" Her voice came out barely above a whisper. Just from the tone of his voice, Haley had a feeling his answer couldn't be good.

Nathan finally turned to look at her, his face solemn. "The chances are one in two, Hales."

Haley needed to sit down. Her own heart had started hammering in her chest, making her feel faint. It looked as if Dan Scott had once again turned things from bad to worse.


	26. Chapter 25

**Hey guys, thank you so much for your reviews last chapter. I know you're all curious about how this whole HCM thing is going to play out. And I can tell you that there are definitely some drama and rough times ahead for everyone. So here's the next chapter for you guys**. **So please read and tell me what you think!**

**

* * *

****Chapter 25 **

**_April 12, 2012_**

Nathan stood on the River Court, lost in thought. He'd come here to get some fresh air and think about things. Basketball had always been his escape when the going got tough. Now it seemed to be the primary source of his troubles.

Nathan rolled the basketball between his hands and felt its rough texture. He bounced it a few times and listened intently to the sound of it hitting the court. It was all so familiar. It was like coming home to him. He couldn't believe that he might lose it all. That he might not be able to play ever again. That his entire career and dream that he'd worked so hard for would just disappear. It's all Nathan could think about ever since he read that damn letter from his father. There had been so much anger inside of him these past couple of days. Dan had known about his condition all along and never told him. If Nathan had HCM, then he'd been at risk all of these years. At any point he could've collapsed and died. What kind of a parent puts their child's life on the line like that?

_Dan apparently_, he thought with disgust. Nathan stared down at the basketball again and sighed. At one point, basketball had been his entire life. He'd grown up with it. But he was different now. He had more important things to consider. Suddenly, his knee injury didn't seem so serious.

"I stopped by the house. Haley told me you'd be here."

Nathan didn't bother to turn around. He just stared at the basket in front of him.

"You gonna take a shot?" Lucas questioned when he didn't answer.

Nathan sighed. "What's the point?"

"Mind if I give it a try?"

He finally looked over at his brother. "Are you sure you should?"

Lucas glanced at the ground, looking uncomfortable. "I'm trying not to think about it."

"You got a letter, too, Lucas. You can't ignore what it said." After researching HCM online, Nathan had called Lucas the next day. He wasn't sure if Dan had left Lucas a letter. Either way, his brother needed to know about the HCM. Lucas had known before Nathan called. He was just as angry but in Nathan's opinion, his brother seemed to be more in denial than anything.

"I'm not ignoring it."

"Then you know what can happen if we play."

"One shot isn't going to kill you."

"But one game could," Nathan retorted. "I know you don't want to think about it, but the risk is still there."

"I've played all my life. If nothing happened then, then nothing will happen now."

"You don't know that."

"Nathan, my team is in the playoffs. I have a freaking game tomorrow. I don't need this right now."

Nathan felt the anger bubble up inside of him. "You think you're the only one who's affected by this? My career is on the line, too, now."

"What do you want me to say? Yeah, Dan's heart condition sucks. But am I going to let it run my life? Hell no."

"This isn't some game, Luke. It's life and death we're talking about here. You know the odds. One of us probably has this disease."

"What do you want from me?" Lucas exploded. "What do you want me to do? Sit around and sulk like you?"

"I'm not sulking," Nathan denied.

"You're hanging around on a basketball court and not playing. That looks an awful lot like sulking to me."

"I'm trying to figure out what the hell I should do."

"And have you made a decision yet?"

"Yes, I have," he declared. Nathan took a shaky breath. "I've decided to get tested."

Lucas looked away from him and out at the river. He put his hands in his pockets, looking pensive. "Are you sure that's what you want to do?"

"It's not what I want, but what I need to do." Nathan had thought long and hard about this. If he had HCM, then that was it for him. No more basketball and no more endorsement deals. The big, beautiful house and expensive things he'd been able to buy for Haley wouldn't be possible anymore. It's not like she ever cared about the money. As long as they were together and happy, that's all that mattered to her. Still, Nathan liked providing for his family. But none of those other things would even matter if he were dead.

Nathan met his brother's gaze. "I have my wife and now my son to think about. They're my priority. I may lose basketball, but I'll still have them. And they'll still have me."

"It makes sense," Lucas admitted.

"What about you?"

"What about me?" Lucas tried to sound indifferent, but Nathan knew that this was hitting him just as hard.

"You and Brooke are going to get married. You're going to have kids."

"Not for a while."

"But you will eventually," Nathan pointed out. "What good will you be to them if you're dead? You think Brooke isn't worried? You think she won't be devastated if something were to happen to you?"

"What's your point?"

"My point is that it's not just about you and basketball anymore. This concerns everyone who cares about you. The right and responsible thing to do is to get tested."

Lucas continued to stare out at the river in silence. Nathan could see the uncertainty and struggle in his eyes. It's exactly how he'd felt. He wasn't sure what his next step should be. It wasn't until he thought about losing Haley and potentially missing out on his son's life that Nathan made his choice. He'd be damned if he let this disease destroy their family. They were what's important to him. Not some game. That was the difference between Nathan and his father. To Nathan, as much as he loved it, basketball wasn't worth the risk.

* * *

"I need a drink."

"Well, hello to you, too, Tigger," Haley said, bemused. Brooke had called earlier and asked if she could visit today.

"Sorry. It's just been a rough day."

"I know the feeling." Haley opened the door wider. "Come on in. I was just tidying up the kitchen."

"What the…" Brooke's eyes widened in shock as she saw the pile of drawers on the counter. "That's some intense spring cleaning."

"I wish that's all it was." Brooke stared at her questioningly. "I have this habit of reorganizing the kitchen drawers when I'm nervous or upset."

"Does it have anything to do with Lucas and Nathan possibly having HCM?"

"Yes, unfortunately. I just can't sit still."

"Well, in that case, you clean while I drink."

Haley walked over to the fridge. "Would you like a beer?"

"Yes, please." Haley removed the cap and handed it to Brooke. The brunette took a large swig as Haley returned to her organizing. "God, I needed that. My stomach has been in knots for days."

"Mine, too. I've been so worried about Nathan and what lies ahead for him."

"I feel the same way with Luke. A couple of days ago the only thing we had to worry about was planning the wedding. Now it's like this life or death situation."

"I know what you mean. Just the thought of Nathan collapsing on the court sends me into a panic." Haley couldn't stop picturing all of Nathan's games. She thought about him running around on the court, dodging defenders and taking shots. He'd be all sweaty and out of breath. Haley had always thought he looked sexy and was proud of him for following his dream. Now, instead of seeing this great player, she could only see him as a ticking time bomb. He put so much stress on his body, especially his heart. It made Haley sick to think that at any moment, Nathan could've died from all of the strain. She didn't know what she'd do if she ever lost him. Haley couldn't even let her mind go there right now. It was too much to handle.

"At least Nathan isn't playing right now. Lucas still has games. I tried to convince him to sit out the rest of the season, but he's so damn stubborn. He won't even consider it now that his team's in the playoffs."

"I tried to convince Nathan to get tested."

"Is he going to do it?"

"He said he'd think about it. I don't know. I don't see how he can't."

"Well, you're doing better than I am at the moment. It's like Lucas is in denial."

"It was a really big thing for Dan to drop on them."

"If he was still alive, I'd kill him myself," Brooke muttered. "I can't believe he knew about this for years and still let them go on thinking they were fine."

"That's Dan Scott for you."

Brooke drank some more of her beer. The bottle was almost finished. "Bastard."

Haley decided now was not a good time to mention her no-swearing rule. Brooke was in a bad mood and just needed to let out some steam. Instead Haley tried to focus her attention on cleaning out the drawers and moving the various knick-knacks around. How did all of this junk manage to get in the drawers? Haley didn't remember buying half of this stuff. What happened to the system she set up when they first moved in?

"Maybe if I withhold sex, then Lucas will listen to me," Brooke mumbled, mostly to herself.

"Will that even work?"

"What? Bad plan?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Aren't you always talking about your lack of self-control?"

Brooke sulked. "You're right. I probably wouldn't last two hours. Broody would have to be good in the sack."

Haley laughed. "Ew."

"What about Nathan?"

"Oh, he's great in the sack," Haley joked.

Brooke smiled. "So not what I meant, Tutor Slut. What will you do if he decides not to get tested?"

"I don't know. I'll figure that out if it comes to that. I'm seriously hoping it doesn't." It's not like she could force Nathan to get tested if he said no.

"Hales," a voice called.

"Speak of the devil," Brooke teased as Nathan walked into the kitchen.

"Whoa."

Haley frowned. "What?"

"It's never a good thing when you're cleaning out the kitchen drawers."

"Haley's nervous that you're going to be as stubborn as Lucas and not get tested."

"Brooke, I didn't say that," Haley protested.

"But you were thinking it."

"Did I mention that being pregnant tends to increase bouts of rage?" she said with her hands on her hips.

"You've always been feisty. It's nothing new."

Nathan smiled as Haley stuck her tongue out at Brooke and went back to cleaning. The bubbly brunette just looked at him and shrugged. "Hales, you don't have to worry," Nathan said, walking over to her. "I've decided to get tested."

Her head snapped up at that. "You have?"

Nathan wrapped his arms around her waist. "Yes, I have. This isn't just about me or basketball. You and the baby are more important. You'll always be."

"Oh, thank you." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. "You don't know how relieved I am to hear you say that."

"I've got to go," Brooke declared.

"Why? Where are you going?" Haley asked.

"I have to go home and talk some sense into Broody."

"I already talked to him at the River Court. I'm not sure where his head's at right now," Nathan informed her.

"All I know is that he can't ignore this. I won't let him."

"Good luck," Haley called to her.

"Thanks," she said over her shoulder.

Haley pulled Nathan into another hug. "I know how hard this is for you, and I want you to know how grateful I am. I just want to make sure you're okay. I need to know."

"I know. Me, too."

"I love you."

Nathan buried his head in her neck and held her tighter. "I love you, too."

* * *

Haley rolled over and reached out across the mattress. Her eyes opened when she didn't feel Nathan beside her. Panic shot through Haley for a moment before she remembered. He and Lucas had left early for Charlotte this morning. The hospital there did testing for HCM. Lucas had finally agreed to go with Nathan. Haley didn't know what Brooke said to him, but she was glad. Haley was just as worried about Lucas as she was Nathan. They were supposed to call later to let her know how things went. Haley closed her eyes again. She'd gotten a full night's sleep but was still exhausted. She'd been so stressed these last few days.

It wasn't bound to get any easier. The first step was for Nathan to get tested. The next was getting the results. She decided to sleep a while longer. Haley needed the rest. She put a hand to her stomach when she felt a kick. "Please don't start that," she gently chided. "Mommy will never get to sleep."

Haley had just started to doze off when the doorbell rang. She briefly thought about not answering it and groaned in frustration. It was probably Brooke. That girl had been as on edge as Haley lately. Despite the circumstances, Haley was glad to have Brooke around. She missed her best friend. And it was good to have someone to talk to and who understood what she was going through.

Haley got up. She readjusted her nightgown and quickly ran a hand through her disheveled hair. The doorbell rang again. "I'm coming," Haley called. Patience was not a virtue of Brooke Davis. Finally, Haley opened the door. Immediately her eyes widened and her body froze. "Taylor?" Haley questioned in shock at the sight of her sister.

Taylor smiled. "Hello, little sis. Long time no see."

* * *

"Is this caffeinated?"

"No. It's decaf," Haley said while placing the coffee mug in front of Taylor. After she opened the door, Taylor had marched right in and plopped herself at the kitchen table. The next thing Haley knew, her sister was asking what was for breakfast. It didn't necessarily surprise Haley. Her sister had always been like this. She would show up randomly at someone's house and act like she was staying for a week. Probably because she usually did stay for a week—or two.

"Isn't the whole point of coffee to wake you up in the morning?"

"I'm pregnant, Taylor." Haley pointed to her baby bump. "Caffeine isn't good for the baby."

"You know, you did look a lot pudgier when I walked in."

"Again, I'm pregnant," she replied, trying to remain patient. Her sister had always been good at getting under her skin. Where was Vivian when Haley needed her? She was usually good at keeping the peace.

"So Nathan finally knocked you up, huh?" she laughed. "I guess that's good. If you ever get a divorce, you'll get money from him for life now."

"Taylor," Haley admonished.

She shrugged, unaffected. "What?"

"What do you want?"

"Well, I wouldn't mind some of those blueberry pancakes you're making."

Haley took them off of the grill when they were finished and put the plate in front of Taylor. "You know what I mean."

"I can't just come and check on my baby sister?"

"It's not really your style," Haley pointed out and took a seat across from her.

"I was in the neighborhood."

"Last time I heard, you were in Texas."

Taylor nodded and shoved a forkful of blueberry pancake into her mouth. "It was fun at first. I worked at this bar where some of the hottest cowboys came in. And I do mean cowboys. They had these huge—"

"Okay, that's enough. I get it," Haley cut her off. Taylor had a talent for going from PG to rated R in a matter of seconds.

"I was going to say cattle."

"Why'd you leave?"

"I got bored."

"Of course," Haley mumbled. Taylor was the wild child of the family. She never could hold down a job or stay in one spot for too long. The messes that she managed to get herself into made Haley's other siblings' bad choices look like accomplishments.

"But I did have my fun while I was there. Those cowboys were sexy. You know that old song, 'Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy'? So true."

Haley chose not to comment. What was the point?

"Speaking of sexy, where's my brother-in-law?"

Haley ignored the spark of irritation she felt. "He's staying overnight in Charlotte."

"That's too bad. Why?"

"He and Lucas had to do something."

"What was it?"

"Don't worry about it."

Taylor looked at her suspiciously but still smiled. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"It's just none of your business, Tay."

"I heard Nathan's father died." Haley shrugged, and Taylor continued, "I'm sure he's feeling down."

"He's handling it," was all she said.

"He and Lucas probably went to a strip club. You know how professional athletes are. When they're upset and can't play, then they _play_." Taylor wiggled her eyes suggestively.

"That is not where they're going."

"That's what you think."

"Look, Taylor, a lot has been going on lately. So can you please just tell me why you suddenly showed up on my doorstep?"

"I told you. I just wanted to come visit. I haven't seen you and Nathan in a while. And it's not like you invited me over for Christmas with Mom, Dad, and Vivian."

"I didn't have enough room."

"What's one more person?" Haley knew that Taylor was trying to make her feel guilty.

"I didn't even know where you were."

"Mom and Dad knew. You could've asked them."

"So, what? You're here now because you didn't see me at Christmas?" Haley asked, not believing it for a second.

"Why not?"

"If that's your story."

"Why is it that no one believes me?"

"Probably because most of us know you better. You only show up when you want something. And frankly, I don't have the time or energy to figure it out."

"Man, being pregnant has made you grumpier. I didn't know that was possible."

"Taylor," Haley sighed.

"Okay, okay. I just need a place to stay for a few days." She then quickly added, "Just until I get back on my feet."

"A few days always turns into a few weeks."

"It won't. I promise."

"So you're planning to stay in North Carolina, then?"

"No. But I can job hunt from anywhere." Haley sighed again loudly. "Please, Haley Bop. You have this big house now. You won't even know that I'm here."

Haley remained silent for a moment. She had that bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. The one that said if she did let Taylor stay, then it would just bring more trouble into their lives. But she was her sister. What else could she do?

"Fine, you can stay."

"Thank you."

"But no funny business. I mean it, Tay."

"You won't even know I'm here."

"I highly doubt that," Haley mumbled to herself.

Taylor wolfed down the rest of her pancake and stood up with her duffel bag. "So where's my room?"


	27. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Nathan pulled up into the driveway of his house. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. It was late morning, but he and Lucas had gotten up early to drive back to Tree Hill from Charlotte. Nathan was eager to see Haley. He'd missed her last night. All Nathan had been able to think about were the test results and how they'd impact their future. Nathan knew he'd be on edge for the next two weeks. That's how long it would take for him to find out if he had HCM or not. Mostly he was worried about Haley. He didn't like putting any added stress on her or the baby. It was his job to protect them, not cause them pain.

Eager to see her, Nathan quickly grabbed his overnight bag and headed inside. "Haley," he called. Nathan could hear the TV on in the living room. He dropped his bag by the door and headed in that direction. He saw a pair of legs sticking up and swinging back and forth in the air above the couch. Nathan smiled. "Hey, I missed you."

When he got closer, his smile faltered. It wasn't Haley lounging on the couch. It was his sister-in-law, Taylor.

"Aw, Nathan, I missed you, too," Taylor cooed and sat up. She was dressed in gray leggings and an oversized t-shirt. Her hair was up in a bun and a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream was in her hand. There were also giant candles lit on the coffee table. The different scents all mixed together, giving Nathan a headache.

"What are you doing here? Where's Haley?" he demanded. Of all the James siblings, Taylor was the one he liked the least. She was always causing trouble in some way or another. The last thing Nathan had expected was to find her here in their home.

"She didn't tell you?" she replied innocently. "That's odd. I thought you guys were always so honest with each other."

"What are you doing here?" Nathan repeated, ignoring the jibe.

"I'm visiting."

"For how long?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"Well, there's no set date but—"

"Nathan!" Haley exclaimed. "You're home." She headed straight for him and threw her arms around him.

Nathan hugged her tightly back. "Hey."

"I'm so glad you're back."

"Me, too. I missed you." He leaned down to kiss her.

"Aren't you two just adorable," Taylor mocked.

"Hales, what is she doing here?" he whispered in her ear.

"In a minute," she muttered back. "Taylor, I'm going to help Nathan unpack."

Taylor was watching TV again. It looked like some reality show. "Whatever. Enjoy your sex."

"She didn't mean—"

"Don't even bother," Haley interrupted him. "Let's go." She led Nathan into the foyer to collect his bag before they went upstairs to their bedroom.

Nathan shut the door behind them. "Hales, can you please tell what's going on? Why is your crazy sister here?"

"She just showed up out of the blue yesterday," Haley answered.

"She slept over?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me that on the phone?"

"Because I figured you had enough to deal with yesterday. It wasn't important."

"A little warning might have been nice."

"I'm sorry," Haley apologized. "I was going to call you this morning before you left, but I was tired and slept in. Are you mad?"

Nathan sighed and rubbed his eyes. "No, I'm not mad. I just want to know what she's up to."

"She said she quit her job and needed a little time to get back on her feet."

"Hales," Nathan groaned. "She's never going to leave."

"I told her she could only stay for a few days. I know she's a pain, but she's my sister. I couldn't just throw her out in the street."

"I'm sure she has some boyfriend to cushion the fall." Taylor went through men like some people went through underwear. She was always changing it up. Nathan didn't think that his sister-in-law had ever had a serious relationship with anyone.

"Look, I'm not happy about this either. But I'm sure she'll be gone before we know it."

"Haley," Taylor shouted from downstairs.

"What?" Haley called back.

"Do you have a fire extinguisher?"

They stared at one another before Nathan bolted from the room, with Haley trailing from behind.

"Taylor, what the hell?" Nathan shouted as he grabbed one of their throw blankets and put out the fire on the floor.

"I picked up my magazine and didn't realize it hit the candle flame. Then I dropped it, because I could've gotten burned."

"Oh my God," Haley murmured when she saw the charred spot on her hardwood floor. "_Taylor_."

"It's not that bad. People won't even notice it. And you could always put a rug there." Taylor stood up and stretched. "I think it's time for a bath. Do you mind if I use the Jacuzzi in your room?"

"Yes, I do mind. You can use the tub in the guest bathroom." No one was allowed in her and Nathan's room, and she wasn't about to make an exception with Taylor. She could just picture her sister snooping around and going through their things. Or God forbid walking around naked just to get a rise out of them.

She sighed loudly. "Fine."

Nathan shook his head as she walked away. He blew out the candles before any more fires broke out. "She'll be gone before we know it?"

"Don't get me worked up, Nathan. We don't have to like the situation, just tolerate it." Haley picked up the Ben & Jerry's as well as the chip bags and cups. Taylor had only been there twenty-four hours and had already made a big mess. She shouldn't be surprised.

"How did it go in Charlotte?" Haley questioned.

"It went fine."

"Lucas went through with the testing?"

"Yeah. We got to stay in the same room while they did it."

Haley came back into the living room and wiped down the table. "When will you get the results?"

"In two weeks."

"That long?" Nathan nodded and saw Haley's shoulders slump. "I don't want you thinking about it. Just push it to the back of your mind. We'll deal with it when the results come in."

Haley said nothing as she cleaned. She would try to keep herself busy, but there was no way she'd future rested on those test results. If they came back positive for HCM, then everything would change.

"Haley," Nathan said and halted her. "Don't worry."

"I'll try," she told stroked her cheek and leaned in to kiss her when Taylor's voice cut in.

"Haley, do you have any bubble bath?" she yelled from upstairs.

Haley sighed in annoyance. She was already regretting letting Taylor stay there. They only had a couple more days until she left. A couple of days wasn't too bad. Haley just had to be patient and resist the urge to strangle her sister.

"I've got to get upstairs before she tears the bathroom apart. Clay called. He wants to talk to you."

"Did he say what it was about?"

"I think he just wants to know how everything went yesterday."

"Okay. I'll call him back."

"Haley!" Taylor bellowed.

"Coming," she called, almost gritting her teeth. "The things I do for family."

* * *

"Don't you ever go home?"

Whitey looked up from the book he was reading and chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing here on a Saturday?"

"My sister-in-law is staying with us, and I needed to get out of the house."

Whitey laughed. "Don't like her much, huh?"

"She's a pain in the ass."

"My wife Camilla's brother was a real piece of work. Sometimes you need to be patient and just keep the peace."

"I'm trying." Nathan took a seat in front of the desk. "So what are you up to?"

"Just going over some plays now that we might have a chance in the playoffs."

Nathan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Quentin came and talked to me yesterday. He wants to be a part of the team again," Whitey explained. "I don't know what you said to him, but it worked."

Nathan was glad to hear that he had an affect on Quentin. He'd been stubborn at first, but Nathan did all he could to get through to him. "Good."

"I'm sorry about Danny, Nathan," Whitey spoke up, breaking the silence that had followed.

"It's not your fault."

"Sometimes I wonder," Whitey mumbled. "Did I put too much pressure on him? Is that why he turned out the way he did? Did I put too much emphasis on winning?"

"It wasn't your fault, Whitey. It was him. You were just being a good coach. You always taught us that we get what we earn and to trust one another. My father never let that sink in. He was selfish." He then added, "And the rest was because of my grandfather."

"If you need some time, you don't have to come to practice anymore—"

"No, I'll still come. I like working with the guys. I need to stay busy."

Whitey studied him intently. "I know you and Danny never got along, but it's okay if you miss him. He was your father, after all."

Nathan shook his head. "It's sure as hell not that. I don't miss him."

"Is something else wrong?" Whitey questioned, sensing that something was off. "Is everything okay with Haley?"

"Yeah, she's fine. It's me."

"Your knee?"

"No." Nathan sighed. "The reason why I haven't been coming to practice was because of something else. I just found out that Dan had a heart disease called HCM."

Whitey's eyes widened. "I've heard of that. It's serious."

"There's a one-in-two chance that either Lucas or I have it. We went to Charlotte yesterday to get tested. We'll find out in about two weeks."

"Nathan, I'm so sorry."

"It's just my father reeking havoc on my life, once again." Nathan ran a hand through his hair. "Everyone's worried. Haley, my mom, my agent…I can't even think about what will happen if I have it. My knee won't even matter. My career will be over."

"It may be over, but you're not dead. You still have a lot going for you."

"I just—" Nathan hesitated, not really sure if he should say what was on his mind. "I keep wondering if this is what my father really wanted for me. To end up like him. You know, losing my dream. And then what happens afterward? Will I be like him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Haley and I are having a boy. What if I start pressuring him?" It was Nathan's biggest fear. He never wanted to be like his father, but sometimes it happens without one even realizing it.

"You won't. I know you won't," Whitey replied. "You'll do the right thing by your son."

"My father was bullied by his father, and he hated it."

"You're _not_ Dan, Nathan. That is the difference," Whitey stated with confidence.

Nathan looked down at his hands and nodded. He hoped Whitey was right. "Now let's not waste any more of our breath on Danny. Let's go over some plays. I'd like us to actually make it to the playoffs this season."

"Sure, Coach." Nathan motioned to the book. "What have you got in mind?"

* * *

"Now this is the life," Brooke declared. She took a sip of her wine and put her feet up on the railing in front of her. "I bet you wish you were here."

"Don't be mean, B. Davis. You know I do," said Peyton's voice through the speaker phone.

Haley smiled and nudged Brooke. The pair was sitting out on Brooke's deck at her house. It overlooked the river and gave them the perfect view of passing boats. It was a relaxing change from Haley's house. Hurricane Taylor had blown in and disrupted any peace and quiet she might have had.

"Don't mind her, Peyton. You know how she gets when she's drunk," Haley joked.

Brooke gasped in mock outrage. "I am not drunk! Maybe a little tipsy but not drunk."

Peyton laughed. "Sure you are."

"So when is your skinny butt going to come visit us? Did you and Jake set a date yet?"

"We're thinking the first week in June," Peyton answered. "Jake and I should be able to get some time off then."

"But that's so far away," Brooke whined.

"I'll be there before you know it. So what's new with you guys? Got any good gossip for me?" Peyton teased.

Haley grabbed some chips from the bowl between her and Brooke and shifted in her lounge chair. "Well, I'm fat now."

"You are not fat," Brooke argued.

"I'm getting bigger, aren't I?"

"That doesn't mean you're fat. It just means that the baby is growing."

"I'm sure you look great, Haley," Peyton contributed. "And I hope you're taking pictures, because you'll want them someday. My mom made a scrapbook of when she was pregnant with me."

"My mom was never into scrapbooking. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if my mom spent her nine months going to dinner parties and trying to convince everyone that she wasn't knocked up. She probably snuck a few cocktails in there."

"Brooke, that's awful," Haley commented.

"That's my mom."

"Did she say anything else about the wedding?" Peyton questioned.

"Just that she doesn't want me to marry Lucas. I swear she tries to talk me out of it every day."

"At least she isn't hitting on Lucas," Haley muttered.

Peyton chuckled. "Why? Did your mom do that?"

"I wasn't talking about my mom. I meant my sister."

"That's right. Taylor is staying with you guys."

"Unfortunately."

"I'm assuming it's not going that well. Did she hit on Nathan or something?"

"I swear she tries to flirt with him." Just remembering the low-cut shirt Taylor had worn to dinner last night and the way she kept bending over in Nathan's line of sight had Haley on edge.

"Maybe it's innocent," Brooke suggested, though her tone sounded as if she knew better.

Haley scoffed and shook her head. "Trust me, nothing my sister does is innocent. There is always an ulterior motive. And I know it's only been three days, but she's driving me nuts. Did I tell you she burned my hardwood floor with one of her candles? She could've set the house on fire."

"She what?" Brooke exclaimed and sat up.

"Yeah. Her dirty laundry is everywhere. I don't even think Mariam can keep up with her messes. And she's always parading around in these skimpy outfits. Then there's the way she looks at me when I'm eating. You can tell she's judging me and looking at me like I'm fat."

"You're not fat," Brooke and Peyton chimed in together. "Whatever. I'm giving her until Tuesday. Then she's got to go."

"I can take care of her for you," Brooke offered. "I know people."

"I don't need her dead—just out of my house. I've got enough to deal with right now."

"Are you talking about that HCM thing? So neither of you know if Lucas or Nathan has that condition?" Peyton asked.

"No," Brooke answered. She laid back down on her lounge. "We have to wait two freaking weeks."

"I'm sorry, you guys. I know it's hard."

"I'm trying not to think about it. At least that's what Nathan wants me to do." Haley checked her watch. "Speaking of which, I should get going. I have to cook dinner. I don't need Taylor burning down the rest of my house." Haley didn't like leaving Taylor alone in the house for too long. She didn't trust her. Haley almost hadn't gone to Brooke's today, but Nathan had convinced her to go and take a break. She could use the distraction and peace of mind—even if it was brief.

"Okay, call me later, Tutor Girl."

"Bye, Brooke. Bye, Peyton," Haley said and halted Brooke as she started to get up. "I can see myself out. You don't have to get up."

"It's fine."

"No, stay where you are and talk to Peyton. I'm fine," she told her. Brooke was about to protest when Haley shot her a look. The brunette thought better of it and waved goodbye instead.

As Haley left the house, her cell phone rang. It was Nathan calling. "Hey, baby, what is it?" she answered while getting into her car.

"I was just wondering when you'd be home. Taylor offered to make dinner, so I said we'd order in. I barely got us out of that one."

Haley cringed just thinking about it. "Good."

"What would you like?"

"I'm kind of craving Chinese."

"Chinese it is, then."

"And could you order extra egg rolls. Taylor always eats them on me." Haley could hear the laugh he was holding back.

"I will."

"See you soon."

"Okay. Bye."

* * *

Nathan set the table for dinner. The food should be arriving in a half hour. He wanted everything to be ready for when Haley came home. He'd just finished when he heard the front door open. "Hales," he called.

She entered the kitchen. "You set the table," she noticed.

"Yup. I thought I'd make myself useful."

"I can think of a few other things," Taylor said as she entered the room. Nathan's eyes widened when he saw that Taylor was wearing some skimpy tank top and short shorts. Haley was not going to like this.

"What are you wearing?"

Sure enough, Nathan heard the underlying edge in his wife's voice.

"Um, clothes," Taylor replied with a laugh. "Duh."

"Do you like that outfit enough to be buried in, or do you want to go put something on?"

Taylor smirked. "Why? It's not like he's never seen another woman's body before." She sent a wink in Nathan's direction.

Haley stared her down, not giving an inch. Nathan was glad he wasn't on the receiving end of that look.

Her sister sighed. "But if you insist."

When Taylor turned around, the word "SEXY" could be seen printed on her ass. Haley turned on Nathan. "Come on, are you ever going to say anything?"

"I love you," he said with a shrug. The doorbell rang a second later. "That would be the food." Nathan took the opportunity to bolt from the kitchen and Haley's glare. He did not want to get in the middle of that one. "Good timing," Nathan said as he opened the door.

Any trace of a smile that was on his face was instantly wiped away when he saw the person standing before him. Nathan's blue eyes met a pair of familiar green ones. The visitor's light brown hair that was once short was now longer. He looked a little taller and muscular than Nathan remembered. But there was no mistaking the man's identity. Nathan would never forget after what he put him and Haley through.

"Uh…hi, Nathan."

Nathan's expression hardened. "What the hell are you doing here, Greg?" He couldn't believe what he was seeing. What the hell was Haley's ex-best friend/boyfriend doing on their doorstep? Was this some kind of sick joke? If it was, he was not laughing.

"Um…" Greg looked down at a paper in his hand. "Is Taylor here?"

Nathan was taken aback. "What?"

"She gave me this address."

"You're looking for Haley's sister Taylor?"

Greg nodded quickly. To Nathan's surprise, he actually looked nervous. "Yes."

"Why—"

"Nathan, they brought the extra egg rolls, right? Because I'm starving—" Haley's words cut off abruptly as she took in the scene. "Oh my God…" She stared at Nathan, bewildered. "What is going on?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out," Nathan replied and faced Greg, once again. "Why would Taylor tell you to come here?"

"T-Taylor?" Haley stuttered, still not understanding what the hell was going on.

"Greg!" Taylor exclaimed and bolted down the stairs. She'd changed into a jean mini-skirt and left on the tank top. As soon as she hit the bottom of the stairs, she headed straight for Greg and jumped in his arms. "You made it."

"Taylor, what the hell is he doing here?" Nathan demanded. "He said you gave him this address."

"I did."

"Why?"

"Oh, well, I guess I forgot to mention one little thing. You see, I've got a new boyfriend and he was supposed to come visit me."

"That still doesn't answer my question. What does your new boyfriend have to do with any of this?"

"You're looking at him."

"Excuse me?" Haley spoke up, not quite sure she'd heard correctly.

"Greg is my new boyfriend. He came out here to be with me. I was going to tell you, but it slipped my mind." Taylor shrugged innocently. "Oops."

"You can't be serious," Nathan retorted.

She placed her arms around Greg's waist. "I am. We've been together for two glorious weeks. And I couldn't bear to be apart from him any longer than necessary, so I invited him out here. I hope that's okay."

"No, it's not—" Nathan started to say when Taylor interrupted.

"Great! Thanks. I'll just show him to our room," she said and pulled Greg into the house and up the stairs with her.

Nathan and Haley just stared after them, completely dumbfounded. Nathan shook his head. "What the hell just happened?"


	28. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27 **

**_April 15, 2012_ **

It was early in the morning, and the kitchen was filled with noises that echoed throughout the house. Haley, however, didn't care. She didn't care that she was making a loud racket. She didn't care that everyone else was still sleeping. She didn't care that what she was doing would probably be considered immature. All Haley knew was that this was the angriest she'd ever been with Taylor in a long time.

Haley was in utter shock when Greg had showed up at the house last night. Never in a million years was she expecting to see him. One minute she was concerned about not having enough egg rolls with her meal and the next she was looking at her former best friend whose sole mission was to break up her marriage. Add the fact that he was now dating her tramp of sister and it couldn't get any worse. The blender, garbage disposal, coffee grinder, and tea kettle were already screeching, but it didn't seem like enough. Haley walked over to one of the cabinets and started slamming the door open and shut. Afterward, she went under the counter to grab a bunch of pots and pans. She dropped them onto the floor with a loud crash.

Nathan was hurrying into the kitchen a moment later. "Haley, stop."

"Sorry," she mock whispered. "I was just trying to wake Taylor and Greg."

"I'm sure you did, along with the rest of the neighborhood," he said while turning all of the appliances off. "How long have you been up?"

Haley poured herself a glass of orange juice. "Since I dreamt that my sister was screwing my best friend."

"Ex-best friend," he corrected.

"Did you dream that, too? That's so weird. Did I kill them in yours?"

"No, actually you played it cool."

"Well, then you really were dreaming because there is no way to play this cool. This is the most un-cool thing Taylor has ever done."

"Morning, kids," chimed a perky voice.

Haley's eyes narrowed as her sister walked into the kitchen with an extra spring in her step. "Good morning, slut. You can get your things and go now," she said, pulling away the plate of muffins that Taylor was about to grab.

Taylor smiled. "Aw, what's wrong? Are you still mad about me and Greg? It's so last night."

Haley eyed her scantily-clad ensemble. "I thought we talked about what is and is not appropriate to wear around my house."

"They're Greg's favorites."

"I don't care what they are. Go upstairs and change. And pack your bags while you're at it."

"Come on, Haley Bop. Don't be this way."

"You're one to talk," Haley scoffed. "You have some nerve bringing him here. You know what happened between us."

"That's between you and him. Not me and him," Taylor retorted. "Plus, you let him stay last night."

"Because it all happened so fast and we were too shocked to really say anything!"

"You seem to be the only one who feels that way." She eyed Nathan.

"Oh, I'm pissed. Make no mistake about that," he chimed in. Nathan couldn't think of another person he despised more than Greg. That man had almost succeeded in driving a wedge between him and Haley once before. In Nathan's opinion, he was just as bad as Dan had been.

"He's not going to be here for that long."

"Neither are you. You're leaving today," Haley declared.

"I can't. I don't have a job."

"You've got your new boyfriend. You should be all set."

"Greg's in between jobs right now, too."

"I don't care," Nathan stated. "He's not staying here."

"Would you two chill out?"

"Chill out? Chill out! Are you kidding me? Not only are you dating my ex-best friend, but you also bring him into my home. Do you not see anything wrong in that?"

She pretended to think about it for a moment. "Nope."

"Come on. You cannot expect me to honestly believe that this thing between you two is anything more than some sick joke."

"What's so sick about it? Greg's a great guy. You couldn't see it, and I could. Can't you just be happy for us?"

Haley's temper flared. She couldn't believe the complete nerve of her sister. "You know what would make me happy? Throwing you out a window, but I'm going to settle for you using the front door."

"That's no way to treat your sister and potential brother-in-law."

Nathan quickly stepped forward and put an arm around Haley before she could lay a hand on her sister. She looked like she was two seconds away from choking Taylor.

"Morning, guys," Greg greeted. He was wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt and his hair was ruffled.

"Don't 'morning' me, Greg," Haley snapped.

Taylor kissed Greg. "You'll have to excuse my sister, honey. She's cranky this morning. Those pregnancy hormones can really be a bitch."

"You're the bitch!"

"Hales, calm down," Nathan tried to intervene. He said in a low voice so only she could hear, "Don't get yourself worked up. It can't be good for your condition."

Haley took a few deep breaths to get her emotions under control. She really wasn't feeling that well this morning. Her anger and anxiety about Taylor and Greg surely weren't helping. She put her hand to her stomach when she felt the baby kick. "I need to go lie down," she announced and stalked out of the room.

Taylor rolled her eyes. "And they say I'm the drama queen."

"Enough, Taylor. Haley has enough to deal with right now. She doesn't need any of your bullshit. I want you both out of this house by this afternoon," Nathan ordered. "End of story."

* * *

"That makes me sick. Taylor is awful and such a…such a…" Brooke searched for the right word.

"Bitch, tramp, whore, traitor…" Haley supplied.

"That's it."

"So she's actually dating your former best friend?" Karen questioned.

Needing to get out of the house, Haley had called Brooke and asked her to come to Karen's Café. She needed to blow off some steam about the situation. If she didn't calm down, she might actually just choke her sister when she returned home. She and Brooke sat at the counter. In between serving customers, Karen would join them.

"Yup. And then she tried to make it look like I'm the one who's horrible. I wish I could be surprised, but it's so typical of her."

"Please tell me you're not going to let them stay."

"Nathan ordered them to be out of the house by this afternoon."

"Good," Karen stated. "It's disrespectful, what she did."

"Yeah, it is," Haley mumbled. She knew that she had every right to demand that Taylor and Greg leave. She'd only agreed to let Taylor stay with them for a few days. It wasn't supposed to be a long-term thing. And having her boyfriend over wasn't part of the deal. Especially when said boyfriend was Haley's ex-boyfriend/best friend who had tried to ruin her marriage. A part of Haley was shocked that Greg would dare show up on their doorstep. It was definitely something Taylor would do. But Greg, despite his faults, was usually smarter than that. Did he honestly think they'd just welcome him into their home with open arms?

But Haley also knew what would happen if she threw Taylor out. She'd forever make Haley out to be the bad guy, and she'd never hear the end of it. Somehow Taylor would spin it in her favor to make the rest of the family feel bad for her. Vivian wouldn't fall for it, but her parents might.

"You have that look on your face," Brooke observed.

Haley frowned. "What look?"

"That look where you're unsure of something."

"I do not."

"Yeah, you do. What are you thinking about?"

Haley sighed loudly. "It's going to sound crazy."

"What is it?" Karen prodded.

"I'm kind of wondering if…" she took a moment to build up the courage to get the words out. "If I should just let them stay for a few more days."

"What?" Brooke exclaimed, almost choking on her coffee. "Are you nuts?"

"I told you it would sound crazy."

"It doesn't sound crazy. It is just plain crazy. Why would you even consider doing that?" "I thought you wanted them to leave," Karen added. "I do want them to leave. But if I do kick Taylor out, I'm never going to hear the end of it. I'll look like the immature one, and she'll have gotten the best of me."

Brooke rolled her eyes. "That makes no sense."

"You don't know my sister. She holds grudges. And if I make a big deal out of this, then I'm playing right into her little game. It might be best if I act like the bigger person and suck it up."

"First of all, you're pregnant. Second, Nathan is injured and is kind of going through a crisis with this whole HCM thing. And third, Greg was a total devious bastard to you in the past, which hasn't changed much since he's now with your slutty sister," Brooke listed off.

"I know."

"Then it's simple. Kick their asses out."

Haley rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. "I have to think about this some more."

"Tutor Girl!"

"Brooke, please," Haley pleaded.

"Fine. I won't say another thing," Brooke relented. "I just call 'em like I see 'em."

"Let's talk about something else."

"Like what?" Karen questioned.

"How are the wedding preparations?"

Brooke's entire body perked up at that. "Now that's a fascinating topic…"

* * *

Nathan watched as Greg dragged Taylor's suitcase down the stairs. In a few minutes they'd both be gone and out of his and Haley's life. Then things could finally go back to normal. "Almost done?" He leaned against the stairs with his arms folded.

"Taylor's got a few more things to pack up."

"Tell her to hurry it up."

"Look, I know that you don't like me—"

"That's an understatement."

"—but I didn't know that it was your house we'd be staying in."

"Sure," Nathan replied, unconvinced.

"I'm telling the truth."

"That'd be a first."

Taylor came down the stairs a second later carrying the rest of her stuff. "That's all of it," she declared. "I still can't believe you're kicking us out."

"And I can't believe you'd have the nerve to bring him here. I guess that makes us even." Greg looked down at the ground and shook his head. Nathan bit back another retort. He was not going to get into a fight with this guy. He wasn't worth it.

The front door opened, and Haley walked inside. "Good. I came back just in time," she announced.

"You gonna personally boot my ass out the door like you promised?" Taylor retorted.

"No, actually. I've had some time to think, and I'm gonna let you stay." Everyone's eyes widened in shock. Nathan, however, was the first to speak.

"What! Haley."

"You have until Wednesday like I originally promised. That's all the time I'm going to give you. So you should have other arrangements ready by then."

Nathan couldn't believe what he was hearing. He took his wife by the arm and led her down the hallway. "Haley, can I talk to you for a minute?" He pulled her into the laundry room. "What are you doing?"

"Okay, I know you probably don't like this—"

"No, I don't."

"Nathan, please just hear me out. They'll only be here for a few more days. We can handle it."

"They are not staying here, Hales. No way."

"Nathan, if we kick them out, then I'm never going to hear the end of it from my sister."

"So? I don't give a damn what she thinks."

"She's going to make it miserable for us every holiday. And I don't know about you, but I'd like to be the bigger person and keep things civil."

"Haley, your sister was the one who screwed up. She had a hell of a nerve bringing that prick here. I do not want him in this house."

"Nathan, please. Please just do this for me." Haley placed her hands on his chest and begged him to understand.

Nathan's expression remained hard at first. He really, really didn't want Taylor and Greg to stay with them. But Haley was using those puppy dog eyes of hers on him. She knew he couldn't resist those. And if it was that important to her… "Ugh, fine," he miserably agreed. "I still think this is a bad idea."

"Thank you." Haley hugged him and pulled him in for a kiss. "You're a good man."

"I didn't say I'd be nice."

"All you have to do is tolerate them. That's it."

"Whatever. I've got to see Whitey. The team's game tomorrow determines whether they're going to the playoffs. We need to go over some things."

"Okay. When will you be home?"

"I don't know." He heard laughing from down the hall, and the sound of kissing. "But as late as possible."

Haley and Nathan walked back down the hall. Taylor and Greg barely noticed them at first. Nathan cleared his throat and waited for them to break it up. Afterward, he grabbed his jacket off of the coat rack and pulled the car keys out of the pocket.

"Where you headed, brother-in-law?"

"Out," Nathan replied curtly. He gave Haley a kiss goodbye, shot a warning glare in Taylor and Greg's direction, and was out the door.

"You guys really need to lighten up."

"Look, I'm letting you stay here but I wouldn't push your luck."

"I knew you'd do the right thing, little sis."

"Don't mess up the house and keep your distance from Nathan, and we won't have a problem."

"Uh, Haley," Greg spoke up. "Could I talk to you for a minute?"

Haley eyed the arm he had around her sister and the lip gloss all over his mouth. "I've got a nursery to work on." And with that, she walked right past him and up the stairs.

* * *

"Now this takes me back."

Haley smiled at Brooke before returning her attention to the basketball court. It was Tree Hill versus Oak Lake in the battle for the playoffs, and the whole town had come to watch. According to Nathan, it was the first time the Ravens had even come close to making the playoffs since he and Luke had been on the team.

"Go Ravens!" Haley shouted. Karen and Keith, who were on the other side of Brooke, were also cheering.

"Some of these boys are hot."

Haley rolled her eyes at her sister's comment. "Remember that they're all underage, Tay."

"Just because I've got my man," she ran her hand up and down Greg's thigh, "doesn't mean that I can't enjoy the view."

"And I thought I was once a slut," Brooke muttered. Haley held back a laugh and nudged her best friend.

"Hey, Mrs. S," someone called.

Haley turned around and saw Sam and a couple of her friends sitting in the row behind them. "Hi, Sam. I'm glad you could make it."

"My friends dragged me to this."

"Well, it's good that you're here to support the team."

Sam shrugged. "It's not as bad as I would've thought."

"Who's you're little friend, Haley Bop?" Taylor questioned.

"This is Sam. She's one of my tutees. Sam, this is my sister, Taylor."

"Hi," Sam replied with a nod.

"Don't sweat it, kid. School really isn't all that important."

Haley's jaw dropped open. She shot a menacing look at her sister. She'd tried to convince Taylor that it wasn't necessary for her to come tonight. Nathan wasn't playing; he was only the assistant coach. But she insisted that it would be a fun night out. With comments like that, it's no wonder why she never wanted to take her sister anywhere.

"She's just joking," Haley quickly covered. "Don't mind her."

Sam's eyebrows rose as she suppressed a smile. She actually looked amused by Taylor's comment. "I think you're the first person to ever tell me that."

"She's got a sick sense of humor. School is important. You can't get anywhere without an education," Greg spoke up.

Haley was glad for the reinforcement but refused to look in Greg's direction. She didn't want him to think that she was in any way pleased by his presence. Mostly she just ignored him whenever he was around. He'd tried to talk to her again today, but thankfully Haley had tutoring as an excuse to get out of it. She had no idea what Greg wanted to talk to her about, and frankly she didn't care.

"Got it," Sam said with a nod.

"So, Jack's been doing great tonight," Haley changed the subject. "Don't you think?"

Sam looked toward the court and back at Haley. "Yeah. He's really fast."

"He's a nice guy, too."

"That'll change now that he's crossed over to the dark side."

Haley frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He's one of the jocks now. Leave him around Quentin for a while, and he'll sop up some of that ego."

"I don't think so," Haley disagreed. "I think you'd be surprised just how much he can hold his own around those guys. Something I think you both have in common."

Sam looked at Haley strangely. "Is there something you're trying to get at, Mrs. S?"

"No. It was just an observation. Enjoy the rest of the game." Haley turned back around to face the front.

"Since when do you play matchmaker for your students?" Brooke whispered in her ear. The bemusement was obvious in her tone.

"Since I found out Jack has a major crush on her but is too nervous to make a move. It couldn't hurt laying a little groundwork for him."

"You are so bad, Tutor Mom." Haley grinned and shrugged unapologetically. She liked to take an interest in her students. And now that Jack was getting some help for his test anxiety, Haley figured it couldn't hurt to give him a push in the right direction with Sam.

Haley glanced off to the sidelines and saw Nathan yelling something to the guys on the court. He was so sexy when he got all worked up like that. His face was even a little red. Her next thoughts, though, weren't so heated. If Nathan was flustered, then it must mean that his heart was racing. That couldn't be good if he had HCM. She felt a surge of panic shoot through her and tried to calm down.

"Haley, are you okay?" Brooke questioned, her voice laced with concern.

"Huh?"

"You look a little pale."

"Do I?"

"Are you feeling okay? Did you want to get some air?"

"Um, no. I'm fine."

Brooke didn't seem to be convinced. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Her eyes honed in on Nathan, who was shouting again. "Everything's just perfect."


	29. Chapter 28

**Hey guys, thank you all for the reviews last chapter. I liked reading the different perspectives. I know some of you think Haley is crazy for letting Taylor and Greg stay, but sometimes it's hard to say no to family-even if they are crazy and cause problems. There's that conflict of being the bigger person, trying not to burn bridges, versus putting your foot down and finally saying enough is enough. You'll see Haley dealing with that in this chapter. So please read and tell me what you think!  


* * *

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**Chapter 28 **

Nathan snuck glances at his wife as he drove. Something was bothering her. He noticed as soon as he saw her after the game. Haley was smiling and cheering enthusiastically with everyone else about the Ravens' victory. But only Nathan noticed that Haley's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, or the way she kept staring at him every five seconds. She was searching for something.

Now, as they were on their way home, she was quiet and twirling her wedding band around her finger. Something was definitely up. Nathan kept silent, though. He'd wait until they were home to find out what was going on. In the rearview mirror, he could see the headlights behind him. Greg and Taylor had taken their own car to the game. Nathan hadn't even wanted them there, but there wasn't much you could do to stop Taylor when she got one of her "great ideas." Luckily, Nathan hadn't paid any attention to them during the game. And Haley was sitting with Brooke, Karen, and Keith, so he wasn't worried about them bothering her. Brooke would certainly tell Taylor off if she was being a bitch.

Nathan pulled the SUV into the garage and shut it off. He got out first and went around to help Haley. She gave him a timid smile, to which he gently squeezed her hand. He led them in the house and guided Haley toward the kitchen.

"What are we doing?" Haley asked.

"I need a drink."

She laughed softly. "And why am I here?"

"Because I need to talk to you."

The door that led to the garage opened and slammed. Taylor and Greg's loud voices could be heard as they trudged up the stairs. It sounded like a stampede of elephants.

"What did you need to talk to me about?"

"Is something bothering you?"

"No," Haley immediately denied—a little too fast in Nathan's mind.

"Come on, Hales. You've been really quiet, and I know something is wrong when you're playing with your ring like that."

"You know me too well," she mumbled.

"Hales," Nathan urged and ran his hand up and down her arm.

"I got a little nervous during the game."

"Nervous? Why?"

"You were yelling at the team."

"It's just part of the game, babe. They weren't getting open. I kept telling them to—"

"I was more worried about the actual yelling than what it was about."

"Hales, I don't get it," Nathan replied, confused.

"You were getting yourself all worked up."

"So?"

Haley sighed, getting slightly frustrated that he couldn't figure out why that was a problem. "It's not good for your heart."

Realization finally dawned on him. "Oh."

"You were all worked up and red-faced." Haley looked down at her feet, unable to meet Nathan's gaze. "It got me worried." She felt his hand on her face, tipping her chin up.

"Haley."

"I know you told me to not worry about it, but I can't help it, Nathan. It still scares me, and it will keep scaring me until we know for sure."

Nathan didn't say anything at first. He pulled Haley into his arms and held her tightly. Haley rested against his chest and closed her eyes when she felt him kiss her forehead. She held him tightly right back while listening to his heart. She didn't know what she'd do if it ever stopped beating.

Haley opened her eyes. She was facing the foyer and noticed someone standing there, watching them. It was Greg. Their gazes met briefly before Haley looked away. She kissed Nathan as he whispered for them to go upstairs. When Haley looked back, Greg was gone.

* * *

Haley clung to Nathan and kissed him with an earth-shattering fierceness. They'd both woken up early this morning. Before Haley could even throw the covers back to get out of bed, Nathan was on top of her. What he wanted was clear as he kissed her neck and his hands roamed the length her body. Haley had hesitated at first. She thought again about Nathan's heart. If they made love, it would definitely be beating like crazy. She didn't want him to get hurt.

When she voiced her concern to Nathan, he'd swiftly dismissed it. He said he would be fine. And even if he wasn't and something happened, it would be the ideal way to die. Haley had not laughed at that joke but allowed Nathan to calm her fears. She made love to him like it would be their last time. She savored every kiss and caress. Haley could tell that Nathan was doing the same, despite his protests that he'd be fine.

When they were finished, they held each other for awhile in silence. Nathan's fingers lingered along her naked back. Haley gently rubbed the length of his arm. Every now and then Nathan's other hand would go to her stomach. The baby had been kicking all morning.

"We should really start picking out baby names," Haley suggested, her voice soft.

"Yeah, we should," Nathan agreed. "It should be something good. That book you bought has the names' meanings, right? Because I wouldn't want to pick out a name for our son and then find out it means 'wuss.'"

Haley swatted his arm and laughed. "I don't think any name means that."

"But some sound like they should."

Haley sat up a just enough to face him. "You are so bad!"

"Our son deserves an awesome name. That's all I'm saying," Nathan defended.

"Well, I guess we both can agree on that."She kissed him and lay back down. "'Wuss,'" she mumbled to herself, trying not to bust out laughing a second time.

The room was silent again until a loud crash sounded from the kitchen. They both flinched and sat up.

"What the hell was that?"

Nathan got out of bed and slipped on his boxers and basketball shorts. "I'll go check it out." He hurried down the hall and stairs to get to the kitchen. There he found Taylor and Greg bustling back and forth between the island and stove. "What the hell is going on down here? What was that crash?"

"Good morning to you, too, brother-in-law. Did you sleep well after your big win?"

"Taylor," Nathan said, not letting her distract him.

"Greg and I were just making breakfast."

"What did you break?"

"Nothing. I just dropped a pan. That's all." She then added, "It's not a fun sound to wake up to, now is it? Nice jammies, by the way."

Nathan just stared at her, un-amused.

"Nathan," Haley called. She walked into the room wearing her bathrobe. "What's going on?"

"God," Taylor huffed, "you guys are acting like it was some big explosion."

"It could've been with you involved," Nathan retorted.

Taylor faked a wounded look. "Now you guys are really going to have to learn to trust me. Especially since Greg and I will be cooking dinner for you tonight."

"What?" Haley questioned, thinking she heard wrong. "Well, mostly Greg will be cooking. I'll be helping."

"No, that's not happening. You can't—that's not happening. Not tonight; not ever."

"Why not? We have to celebrate the team's big win. And we haven't had a family dinner all week."

"It's no trouble at all," Greg spoke up as he made himself an omelet.

"He really is fabulous in the kitchen. His cooking skills match his ones in the bedroom. You might know a little bit about that. Right, Haley?"

"Taylor," Greg said, actually looking embarrassed.

Once again, Taylor was trying to bait her. Haley was really starting to get sick of it. And judging by the pissed off look on Nathan's face, he was feeling the exact same way.

"Actually, I wouldn't. I'm going to get dressed." Haley didn't want to stay around for her sister's next aggravating comment.

"Watch it, Taylor," Nathan warned before following his wife. He sure as hell didn't want to be left alone with them. Already he knew this dinner was going to be a disaster.

* * *

"It's going to be a complete disaster. Haven't you guys been avoiding each other as much as possible since they arrived?"

"We've tried. But I think that's more Nathan and mine's plan than theirs."

"Are they home now?" Brooke questioned.

"No. They went to the supermarket to buy more supplies."

"Then why are you whispering?"

Haley clutched the phone tighter. "Because they could come home at any minute, and I'm paranoid. So will you do it? Please?"

"Sure. Broody and I are in."

"Thank you!" Haley exclaimed. "Thank you so much. I don't think I could handle a dinner alone with them."

"I got your back, Tutor Mom."

"I need all of the help I can get."

"I told you not to let them stay."

"I was trying to be the good sister."

"And how's that working out for you?" Brooke questioned in a teasing tone. Haley could just picture the smirk that was on her face.

"No comment."

"Uh-huh," Brooke said knowingly. "You know what I remember vividly? Taylor at your second wedding. If I remember correctly, wasn't she trying to hit on Nathan during the reception?"

Haley seethed at the memory. "Yup, that was Taylor."

"That girl has issues."

"You're telling me. I just don't understand what she's going to gain from this."

"Well, you told me she's been all over Greg around you. Do you think she just wants to make you jealous?"

"Why would I be jealous? I don't have feelings for him. And we're not friends anymore."

"It's bothering you, though," Brooke pointed out.

Haley took a moment to sort through her thoughts. "I'll tell you what bothers me. It's the principle of the matter. Both of them have done terrible things to me and know it. And still they hooked up," Haley explained. "It's like the icing on the cake."

"People suck."

"Definitely true." Haley sighed as she opened up the cupboards in the kitchen. "At least Duke growls at them every time they come into the room."

Brooke laughed out loud. "He does?"

"Yeah, he really doesn't like them."

"Smart dog."

"I know, right." Haley grabbed a box of cereal, a bag of chips, and a can of peanuts. "Brooke, I've got to go. I've got some things to take care of before tonight."

"Okay, I'll see you later. You want us there at seven, right?"

"Yes. And please don't be late."

"I promise that for once in my life I'll be on time," she joked. "Bye."

"Bye." Haley took a seat at the counter and opened up the box of cereal. She reached in for a handful and started munching on it. She did the same with the chips and peanuts. Taylor and Greg may be making dinner, but it's not like she'd promised to eat it.

"What are you doing?" Nathan asked. He thought he'd heard Haley rummaging through something and decided to investigate.

"I'm spoiling my appetite."

"Haley, if you're so against this dinner, they why did you agree to it?"

"It's not like I had a choice." She shoved more chips into her mouth.

"It's a bad idea."

"Thank you for stating the obvious. Of course it's a bad idea. It's a terrible idea. But if Taylor and Greg think I should be fine, then I'll be fine," Haley declared.

Nathan smirked in amusement. "You seem fine."

"Oh, I am. I'm going to sit at that table like a perfect little angel. And I'm going to say, 'Oh, that's so nice, Taylor—Taylor, that's a really funny story. Please pass the potatoes…'" Haley paused for a moment. "Only there won't be any potatoes." Haley stood up and grabbed the bag of potatoes on the counter by the refrigerator and threw it in the garbage. She then walked over to the cupboard with the pots and pans.

Nathan's eyebrows shot up. "What are you doing now?"

Haley was picking up—and dropping—some of the pots and pans. "Well, let's see them cook without any of these."

Nathan said his next words carefully. Haley was upset and annoyed, but her pregnancy hormones were clearly making her mood worse. Even Duke was looking at her strangely. Nathan needed to distract her. "Hales, let's go work on the nursery."

"I'm busy right now."

He pulled the pans out of her hand and put them down on the counter. "You're going to hurt yourself. Just take it easy."

"My tramp of a sister and ex-best friend are making us the dinner from hell. How am I supposed to take it easy?" she huffed.

Nathan took her face in his hands. "Baby, I'm dreading this as much as you, but I'm not the one carrying our son. You need to calm down," he soothed. "I'm sure the dinner will be over before we know it. And we also have Lucas and Brooke coming for moral support." Nathan hoped he sounded self-assured. There was no need to share with Haley his theory that they weren't going to make it through dinner. Knowing Haley and her hormones, she'd probably attack Taylor before the salad was even served.

Haley took a few deep, calming breaths. "It's just that I know my sister, and I know that she has some ulterior motive behind all of this."

"Maybe she does. But that's why you've got to remember that you're the stronger, more mature person. And even though it might not seem like it, she's the one who envies you," he told her. Taylor would never admit it, but she was jealous of Haley. Of that, Nathan was completely certain.

Haley let her husband's words sink in. He had a point. Taylor always made fun of Haley for her good grades and behavior. She claimed that Haley was the perfect child. Taylor never really picked on Quinn or Vivian as much as her growing up. Probably because Haley was the closest to her in age, making the need to compete that much stronger. Haley smiled and stroked his cheek. "You're pretty smart. You know that?"

Nathan grinned back. "I have my moments." He guided her face to his and kissed her deeply. The front door opened a second later.

"Damn, no wonder you're pregnant. Do the two of you ever come up for air?"

Haley groaned at the interruption and buried her face in Nathan's chest.

"Is something wrong?" Greg inquired. He was behind Taylor and had a whole bunch of grocery bags in his hands. He was having trouble making it into the room, though, with Duke growling in front of him. Nathan planned on giving Duke an extra treat at dinner tonight.

"She's fine," Nathan said curtly. "In fact, we were just about to go for a walk." Working on the nursery wasn't good enough. He had to get Haley out of the house.

"Make sure you're back on time," Taylor said. "You don't want to be late for dinner."

"Yeah, it'd be a real shame," he commented dryly. Nathan entwined his hand with Haley's and led her out of the kitchen. He called Duke to them and put on his leash.

"What's all this stuff doing out?" Taylor called after them.

"Just put it away," Haley shouted back. And then they were out the door.

* * *

"Why aren't you using the good silverware?" Nathan questioned as he watched Haley set the dining room table with plastic plates and utensils.

"The good silverware is for good people. They're lucky I'm not making them eat off of the floor."

"Are you going to be civil tonight?" Nathan had hoped their walk would cool Haley down. But as soon as they'd come home and smelled the scent of something burning, Haley's bad mood had returned. It was weird how they'd changed roles. Just a few days ago it was Haley who'd been trying to calm him down about the Taylor situation. Now she was the one getting worked up while he tried to rein her in.

"Just try, Haley. Please." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "It's only one more night. We've been through worse than this. It should be easy."

"Greg!" Taylor screeched from the kitchen, laughing. "Stop it. That tickles!"

Haley shot a look to Nathan. "Hey, as long as he's touching her and not you, it's all good," he defended. Nathan didn't give a damn what Taylor and Greg did. All he cared about was that the jackass stayed away from his wife. And with all the death glares Nathan had been sending Greg's way this week, it seemed he'd made his point clear.

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Taylor announced.

Nathan kissed Haley's cheek and went to get the door anyway.

Taylor beat him to it. "Come on in, gang. You must be Lucas and Brooke."

"And you must be Haley's crazy sister," Brooke retorted.

Taylor smiled widely. "I guess my reputation precedes me."

"Hello," Greg greeted, walking into the foyer.

"Hello, Judas," Brooke greeted back, her voice sarcastically sweet. "Ready for your last supper?"

"This is going to be a long night, huh?" Lucas whispered to his brother.

Nathan nodded his head. "Oh yeah."

* * *

Haley grabbed the last batch of food and entered the dining room. She threw in haphazardly on the table and took her seat at the end of the table, opposite Nathan. Her sister and Greg were to her right with Brooke and Lucas on the left. "Okay, let's get this over with."

"Can we say grace first?" Taylor interrupted.

Haley stared at her sister with an incredulous expression. "You're religious now?"

"Well, I have been calling out God's name a lot lately," Taylor replied with a sly grin.

Greg looked down at his plate in front of him and scratched his chin. Haley couldn't tell if he was embarrassed or trying to hold back a laugh. She assumed it was the latter. The rest of the table sat in uncomfortable silence.

"Thank you, God, for my wonderful family. For the food we're about to receive. And for Greg. His chest. His strong arms—" Taylor began. Haley looked across the table at Nathan who was shaking his head. Brooke was glaring while Lucas kept his head down. "—and home theater. How I love the home theater. Amen."

"Amen," everyone else repeated quickly.

Much to Haley's annoyance, the food didn't taste half bad. She didn't know when Greg got to be such a good cook. Of course she wasn't going to compliment him or anything. She was still mad that they were having this dinner in the first place. Lucas was the first to strike up a conversation. He and Nathan talked about the Ravens going to the playoffs and how Lucas's team was set on making it to the NBA Championship. Meanwhile, Haley and Brooke talked about wedding and baby plans.

The dinner actually went pretty well until Taylor interrupted. She'd pounced on Greg and started making out with him. Haley let her fork drop and gawked at them in utter disbelief. Even Lucas looked like he was having a hard time eating his food. Nathan just grabbed his beer and took a few large swigs. Brooke cleared her throat loudly. Taylor pulled away from Greg eventually.

"What was I saying?"

"You said, 'watch this,'" Haley answered flatly as her sister gave her a challenging look.

"So I guess we're all curious; how exactly did the two of you get together?" Brooke spoke up.

"Actually, I'm glad you asked, Brooke. It's nice to know that someone cares." She shot Haley a pointed look.

Brooke scoffed. "Oh, I don't care. I'm just curious to learn how a home-wrecker and backstabber find each other."

Taylor forced a smile before gazing into Greg's eyes with a wistful look on her face. "Well, it was just another boring day at the gym when who should accidentally walk into my stripper-aerobics class…"

"Greg," Nathan supplied.

"Ooh, Haley's got herself a smart one," Taylor retorted. "Yes, Greg. He was so embarrassed to leave that he stayed the entire class." She started to stroke her hand up and down Greg's arm. "It was quite a workout, wasn't it, honey?"

"Uh, yeah," Greg answered, drinking his own beer. To Haley's surprise, he didn't seem to be gloating like her sister.

"I gave him a private session later that night." Taylor nibbled on his ear. "And the rest they say is just sex."

"I guess you two deserve each other," Brooke commented, looking disgusted.

"Taylor," Greg mumbled and gently pushed her off of him. But it was too late. Haley had seen and heard enough.

"Okay, if nobody else is going to say anything then I will," Haley declared, slamming her fork and napkin on the table.

"Please don't, Haley," Nathan muttered, already knowing it was pointless.

"Taylor, at any point did it occur to you that hooking up with your sister's ex-best friend/boyfriend might be considered a little insensitive and whorish?"

"Funny, no."

"Greg, you know what you did. Did it occur to you that showing up at my house with my sister and flaunting your relationship with her is just as bad?"

"Jealous, Haley?" Taylor shot back.

"No. Disappointed is more like it. You," she directed at Taylor, "I never thought could sink so low." She looked to Greg. "And you, haven't you tried to hurt me enough in the past?"

"Haley, that's not why I came here," Greg replied. "I wanted to talk to you the other day to tell you—"

"You know what, save it. I don't want to hear any more ridiculous stories."

"Who's making up stories?" Taylor responded.

"Just cut it out, Taylor. Eat your damn dinner and shut up," Haley ordered, seriously resisting the urge to reach over and strangle her sister. She didn't know how much more she could take.

There was another awkward silence that fell over the table until Taylor broke it. She was staring intently at Lucas. "You know, now I know who Lucas reminds me of. Who was that guy you dated freshman year?"

"I don't remember," Haley answered.

"Dan Thompson," Taylor pressed on. "Whatever happened to him?"

Haley could feel her eyes beginning to water despite her efforts to appear composed. "You told him you'd sleep with him if he promised to break up with me. So he did. And then you did." She'd been young and naive back then. Dan had been Haley's first real crush. They'd only been dating for a month, but she thought they had something special.

That's why it devastated her when he'd left her for her sister. Taylor could have had any guy she wanted. They always just flocked to her. Haley couldn't understand at the time why of all the guys, Taylor had to choose Dan to hook up with. For a while, Haley had shied away from guys because of her sister. When Greg had finally admitted to liking her the following year, Haley decided to give him a chance. He was her best friend, and she trusted him not to fall for her sister's games. And he hadn't at the time. Looking at the two of them together now just proved how drastically everything had changed, and how far her former best friend had truly fallen.

"That's right; I'm the sister who actually sleeps with guys."

A tear slid down Haley's cheek as she felt all of her old insecurities surface. It was like she was fifteen all over again.

"Taylor," both Nathan and Greg snapped at the same time. They looked at each other, annoyed, before returning their attention to Haley.

"Did they give you a medal for that or just a shot?" Lucas inquired.

Haley smiled a little at the comment, but it wasn't enough to keep the rest of the tears from spilling out. She stood up and started to collect plates. The faster they got through this dinner the better.

"Haley," Brooke said in a concerned voice.

"We've got cupcakes for dessert," she pressed on.

"I wish I could be like you, Haley. Just eat whatever I want and get fat," Taylor taunted.

Haley threw the plates on the table, losing the last strand of her patience. "Your lip is about to get fat."

"That's enough!" Nathan ordered. There was no way he was going to sit by and continue to watch Taylor pick on his wife. He hated seeing Haley cry. Nathan stood up and tried to pull Haley into his arms, but she pushed him away.

"I need some air." Haley rushed out of the dining room and toward the patio. There was a cool breeze that made the tear tracks on her skin feel colder. She sat down on a lawn chair and put her head in her hands. This night was turning out even worse than she'd imagined.


	30. Chapter 29

**Hey everyone, thank you for the reviews! They always make my day. I hope you'll enjoy this next chapter. **

* * *

**Chapter 29 **

Haley heard the sliding glass door open but didn't bother to turn around. She figured it was either Nathan or one of her friends coming to check on her. She kept her head in her hands as she struggled to regain her composure.

"Haley," said a familiar male voice. But it wasn't Nathan or Lucas. It was Greg.

Haley's head whipped around. "What do you want?" she demanded, not caring how harsh her voice sounded.

"I wanted to see if you were okay."

"Like you care," she muttered.

"I do."

She went back to staring at her hands. "Does Nathan know you're out here?"

"Actually, he's a little busy yelling at Taylor right now."

"I'm surprised you're not in there defending her."

"Despite what you're thinking, I don't like the way she's been acting."

"You have no idea what I'm thinking."

He sat in the seat next to her. "I know you think that I'm a real asshole for hooking up with Taylor."

"I guess you're not as clueless as I thought," Haley retorted with a sarcastic smile. She was done being polite and keeping her emotions inside.

"And you probably think I'm awful for coming here."

"Congrats. You're two for two."

"Look, there is an explanation."

"I don't care."

"Yeah, you do, or you wouldn't be so mad."

"Greg, I really am not in the mood right now. Please just leave me alone." Haley was already upset. Whatever Greg had to tell her, she was sure she wasn't going to like it.

"Haley, please listen to me. I did come to Tree Hill with Taylor to see you," Greg admitted. He ignored the sharp look she gave him and continued on, "But I honestly didn't know that we'd be staying at your house. Taylor said we'd be staying with one of her friends. The next thing I know, I'm here and Nathan's answering the door."

"Is it really any surprise that Taylor lied?" Haley shot back. "And why would you want to see me? It's been years, Greg. We're not friends anymore."

"I wanted to apologize for what I did to you and Nathan."

"Well, you're four years too late. I've moved on."

Greg eyed her swollen stomach. "I've noticed. I can't believe you're pregnant."

"You can't believe that I'm pregnant or that I'm still with Nathan?" she challenged.

"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that…you're all grown up. You and Nathan seem to have this great life together with a baby on the way," Greg said. "I wish that my life was that in order."

He sounded so sad and lost in that moment. It made Haley wonder what he'd gone through all these years after they'd parted. She found a little of her anger ebbing but quickly pushed the urge to feel sorry for him away. He'd still stayed at their house and was dating her sister, despite knowing how much it hurt her.

"I, uh, tried calling here a few times," he added when Haley didn't say anything.

That got her attention. "What?"

"Taylor got your new number from your mom, and then I got it from her. I'd let the phone ring but as soon as you or Nathan answered, I'd chicken out."

"Wait, that was you?" Haley was trying to wrap her head around this new information.

"Yeah." Greg frowned, noticing the bewildered look on her face. "Why? Did you think it was someone else?"

"Yes, we did." Now the pieces were all starting to come together.

"Who did you think it was?"

"We thought it was Nathan's father." It had been right around the time that Dan was sick and trying to get in touch with Nathan. They'd just naturally assumed that it was him.

"I remember you mentioning him. He was kind of a jerk, right?"

Haley's eyes narrowed just thinking about Dan Scott. "He was more than a jerk. He was the most despicable human being I'd ever met. He nearly destroyed our marriage—something you two have in common."

Greg flinched at that. Haley was glad.

"Did he do something else?" he prodded. "You've seemed kind of stressed lately."

"Because having you and my sister staying in my house isn't stressful," she muttered sardonically.

"Again, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"And yet you stayed."

"I knew that if I left I'd miss my chance to talk to you. I figured seeing you in person would be better than over the phone. I probably wouldn't have been able to get two words out before you shut me off."

"You're right about that."

Greg sighed loudly. "Haley, I know you're pissed, but do you have to be so hostile? I just want us to talk—for real."

"I think I have a right to be hostile," Haley defended. "I mean, it's bad enough that you tried to come between Nathan and me. But to show up all these years later with Taylor is just low. As my former best friend, you know the horrible things she's done to me over the years. Why would you ever date her? Is this your way of getting back at me?"

"It's not like I planned it. I just ran into her when she was back in town, and we just happened to hit it off. I swear I was just as surprised as you are. When I pictured who I'd be with in the future, Taylor was never the person who came to mind."

"What do you even see in her? Are you really into her, or are you just dating her because she's my sister?"

"I'm not with her to get back at you. We're actually having fun together. I don't have a job, and things have been kind of rough lately," Greg explained. "Taylor makes me forget about all of the bad stuff. She's the first person to make me smile in longer than I can remember. I like her."

Haley remained silent as she processed Greg's words. He seemed sincere enough. And she had noticed the way his eyes lit up whenever her sister was around. She hoped that he really was telling the truth and that it wasn't all some big scheme—although it seemed that way with the way Taylor had been acting.

"So what's been going on with Nathan's dad that's got you so stressed?" he questioned, changing the subject.

Haley shook her head. "It's nothing."

"It's definitely not nothing. You've been upset, and Nathan seems extra protective of you. It's gotta be something big."

Haley hesitated. She had not expected to get into a deep conversation with Greg tonight. She still didn't even know if she could trust him. But a part of her wanted him to know why his and Taylor's presence had disturbed her so much. "His father died."

"I'm sorry," Greg muttered. "What happened?"

"He had this heart disease. He didn't have much time left. It's genetic," she added, averting her eyes.

"Oh," Greg replied, understanding. "So Nathan might…"

"Yeah. He might have it. He got tested earlier in the week, and we've been waiting for the results."

"So what'll happen if he does have this heart disease?" he asked tentatively.

"Then no more basketball. His career is done." She wiped away a stray tear. "And he'll have to take medication for the rest of his life."

"Jeez, that's rough."

"I'm just scared for him. When I think about the baby…I can't imagine raising our son and Nathan not being there. And then there is always the possibility that the baby could have it. It's a lot to take in."

"You're having a boy?"

Haley wiped away a few more tears. "Yeah."

"Congratulations."

The baby kicked, and Haley rubbed her stomach. "Everything has changed so much. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"Do you mean Nathan or the baby?"

"I guess both."

"I knew that Nathan really loved you," Greg revealed, interrupting the silence that had fallen between them. "You know, that first time you brought him to Honey Grove. I could see him just staring at you with this adoring look on his face. He was totally gone. The way he looked at you...it was exactly how I felt."

Haley finally faced him. "You told me he was just using me."

"That's what I had to tell myself. I loved you, and I couldn't bear the thought of you being with anyone else."

"And now?" she inquired cautiously.

"I've come to terms with it now. It took a while for me to realize that you made the right choice. I mean, you'll always be the one that got away for me. But I've finally made my peace with it. That's why I wanted to come. I wanted you to know that I really am sorry."

Haley nodded and played with her wedding ring. This whole night felt so surreal. Nothing was turning out like she thought.

"Do you think if I talk to Nathan, he would—"

"I wouldn't try it," Haley advised. "You're not exactly his favorite person." Nathan would be more likely to punch Greg than forgive him. Some things would never change.

Greg nodded in acceptance. He even looked a little nervous at the thought of confronting Nathan. "Maybe you can just pass on the message, then."

"Sure."

"I'm sorry," he repeated sincerely, his eyes locking on hers.

"Thank you. That means a lot, Greg," Haley responded. She and Greg would never be friends again. It just wasn't in the cards for them. But it was nice to finally have some closure.

"And I'm sorry for coming here and stressing you out. I told Taylor we should've gone to a hotel."

"Why are you apologizing to her?" Taylor boomed as she came outside. Trailing behind her were the others. "We didn't do anything wrong."

"I beg to differ. And it's not just what you're doing now. You've been a problem your whole life, Taylor," Haley retorted and stood up. "You really haven't changed one bit."

"Come on, Haley, spare us the victim act. It's getting old."

"No, you're selfishness and immaturity is what's getting old. You've been like this since we were kids."

"Oh, please," she scoffed.

"Fine, you want a couple of reminders? How about the time Mom bought me a new doll and you threw it in the fireplace? Or the time I got my first period, and you convinced me that I was dying. Then there was the time I performed in the school talent show, and you messed with my guitar so it was out of tune. And of course we can't forget that time in high school when you had sex in mom's car and then told her it was me," Haley listed, her voice growing louder with each word. By the end she was shouting.

Taylor grinned smugly. "To be fair, it was with your ex-boyfriend."

"And now you've moved on to Greg."

"Why are you getting so mad about me going after your leftovers? You went after mine," she accused.

Haley was seeing red. "Just because your perv of an ex-boyfriend hit on me that one time did not mean that I stole him from you." She cringed at the memory of Taylor's ex-boyfriend Steven. He'd been such a pig. Haley had only been seventeen at the time. Whenever he came over the house he would wink and leer at her. It didn't matter that Haley was younger than him.

"The only reason why you're mad is because you can't stand the fact that I won. God forbid you're not Little Miss Perfect with everyone doting on you."

"No, I'm furious because I've always tried to be a good sister to you even though you've always treated me like crap. I'm always the one going on a limb for you even when you don't deserve it."

"No one asked that of you, Haley. You took that role on yourself and don't try and say it's because it's what Mom and Dad want. Just admit that you love that I'm the screw-up because it just shows how much better you are than me."

"That's not it at all."

"You know what I remember, Haley? I remember that Vivian and I used to be close at one point. We were young, but she was my best friend and big sister. Then you came along always crying and moaning about a scraped knee, a bad dream, or something else that was stupid. Next thing I know she's always worrying about you, and I'm cast aside."

"Oh, let's not forget that you were usually the one who gave me the scraped knee or told me the scary stories that gave me nightmares. The reason Viv didn't want to be around you was because you were a mean person. She saw how you always picked on me and knew that it wouldn't stop unless she stepped in. So if you want to blame someone, look to yourself."

Haley was so tired of letting Taylor get her way. Most kids had to deal with bullies at school and could find some peace at home. But that wasn't what it was like for Haley. She'd always felt like she had to watch her back as a child where Taylor was concerned. She'd hoped that as they grew older, things would change for the better. But they never did. Eventually Haley had to accept the fact that she and Taylor were just too different and would never see eye to eye. The realization had hurt, but there was nothing she could do.

Taylor threw her hands up, the anger gleaming in her eyes. "Oh, so it's all my fault yet again. What the hell do you want from me, Haley?"

"What I want is for you to admit that what you're doing is wrong."

"No."

"Say it," Haley demanded, getting in her face.

"_No_."

"Come on, Taylor." She knew that she was pushing her sister's buttons, but Haley didn't care. She'd dealt with enough of Taylor's crap over the years. It was time she got a taste of her own medicine.

"You are lucky that you're pregnant," Taylor gritted out, losing her cool. She looked like she wanted to hit her.

"No, Tay, you're lucky that I'm pregnant. I'm done trying with you, and it's time that you got your insecure, backstabbing ass out of this house right now!"

"So this is how you treat family?"

"Don't even give me that. You've done nothing but antagonize me and try to throw your relationship with Greg in my face. Well, mission accomplished. You've managed to thoroughly piss me off. You satisfied now?"

Her grin was smug and challenging. "Nightly."

"Hey, stop it," Nathan intervened as Greg went to Taylor. With the way Haley and Taylor were squaring off, he was afraid a fight would break out.

"Real nice, Tay. You're a real class act," Haley spat.

"What the hell do you want from me?" she repeated.

"I want you to admit that you're a bitch and to get the hell out of my house!"

"Taylor," Greg warned before she could open her mouth again. "It's time to go. We shouldn't be here."

Taylor shifted her gaze from Greg to Haley. Her sister looked livid. Haley assumed that she was angry about Greg taking her side. "Fine," she said and took a step back. "I'm a bitch. But I've still got Greg," she said, adding one last jab and throwing her arms around him.

Haley kept her face composed. It drove Taylor even crazier when she couldn't get a reaction out of someone. In a pitying voice, Haley responded, "And I've got everything you wish you had. Now get out."

* * *

"Nicely played," Nathan said as he sat beside Haley on the couch. Lucas and Brooke were sitting on the loveseat next to them. They had all ventured into the living room after Greg and Taylor had left.

Haley buried her face in Nathan's chest. "Ugh, that was awful."

He held her tightly. "You did great, baby. Your sister deserved it."

"She was a bigger bitch than I thought," Brooke stated.

"And here I thought I was the only one to grow up with a sibling who lived to torture me," Lucas joked.

"Ha ha," Nathan mocked.

"My mom isn't going to be happy. She hates when we all fight." Haley put her hand to her head. "And I am such a bad mother already."

"Tutor Mom, what are you talking about? You are not a bad mom."

"We're not supposed to be swearing in front of the baby."

"So?"

"You heard what came out of my mouth. It's been like that ever since Taylor was here."

"Hales," Nathan interjected, "it's no big deal. I'm sure the baby won't be permanently scarred, because you swore a few times. And your sister started it, which is exactly what I'll tell your parents if they say something to you." There was no way he was going to let Haley take the blame for Taylor's bad behavior.

"At least they're gone," Brooke said, looking on the bright side. "Now things can go back to normal."

"I'm still curious. What exactly did Greg say to you? I didn't even notice he'd left the dining room at first." Nathan had gotten into a big fight of his own with Taylor. He'd had enough of her picking on his wife, which he made very clear to her. It had been about ten minutes before Nathan even realized that Greg was no longer in the room with them. Panic shot through him at the thought of where he'd be. He was prepared to beat Greg's ass if he found Haley in a worse emotional state than when she'd left.

He'd followed Taylor out onto the patio. To Nathan's surprise and relief, Haley seemed to be okay. She'd obviously been crying but wasn't anymore. That's when he'd tuned into the conversation that was going on. He'd been shocked when Taylor accused Greg of apologizing. Even more surprising was how Haley had not once turned on Greg during her fight with Taylor. He'd been sure that Haley would let him have it, too.

"He actually apologized for what he did to us. He said he's moved on from it."

"And we're supposed to believe that?"

"It does sound kind of shady," Brooke agreed. "I mean, the guy is dating your sister. He was either trying to make you jealous or replace you. Either way, it's weird."

"Look, all I know is that he seemed to mean it. He also felt bad about showing up at the house. That was Taylor's big plan, and she didn't tell him."

"Again, not sure if I believe him," Nathan replied—although Haley seemed willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. She always tried to see the good in people. As long as she wasn't upset and crying anymore, then Nathan didn't care what she believed. He just wanted her to be able to relax now.

"Well, he wanted me to tell you that he was sorry. Greg was going to tell you himself, but I told him it might not be the best idea."

"Good advice." There was nothing Nathan had to say to Greg that he hadn't said already, whether the guy apologized or not. The only reason he put up with him was because of Haley.

Haley rolled her eyes at her husband. He could be so stubborn sometimes. She couldn't completely blame him, though. Greg was the man who had tried to steal her away, after all. "There's one more thing."

Lucas sipped his beer. "This should be good."

"You know when we were getting those strange phone calls and someone kept hanging up?"

"Yeah, it was Dan," Nathan answered.

Haley shook her head. "No, it wasn't."

"What?"

"It was Greg. He was the one who'd been calling. I guess he was trying to work up the nerve to talk to us." Haley could see that this had totally taken her husband by surprise. She stroked his arm gently. "Nathan?"

"I need another beer," he announced and got up.

Lucas followed him. "Me, too."

Haley and Brooke just exchanged knowing glances. Dan was a very sensitive subject.

* * *

"Hi, Jack," Haley greeted. "Take a seat."

"I'm sorry I'm late, Mrs. Scott. I had to talk to one of my teacher's after class."

"That's okay. I'm still waiting on someone else," Haley told him. It was the following Friday, and she had a tutoring session scheduled.

"It won't be just us?"

"No. I was thinking we could do a joint tutoring session. I noticed that you've been having some trouble with your paper for English, and I know someone who can help. And she's not doing so well in history. I figured you could teach her some of your tricks for remembering the dates," Haley explained.

"_Her_?" Jack repeated. "It's a girl?"

"Yes, she's a girl." Haley glanced at the door. "And here she is now."

Jack followed her line of sight and quickly looked back at Haley in a panic. "Samantha Walker? That's who's going to be working with me?"

"You'll be helping her, too."

He shook his head vigorously. "No. I can't. No way."

"Why not?"

"B-because," Jack stuttered. "Look at her!"

Haley couldn't help but smile. The boy was a total goner for that girl. "Jack, you'll be fine. If you can play basketball like you've been doing in front of the entire school, then I'm sure you can talk to Sam for one hour."

"But—"

"Hi, Mrs. S," Sam greeted and then frowned when she noticed Jack. "Do I have the wrong time?"

"No. Today is going to be a joint session," Haley explained.

"Oh." Sam dropped her backpack and took a seat. "Does he need help in history, too?"

"No. Jack is having a little trouble with a paper for English. And since you're one of the most gifted writers I know, I figured you could give him some pointers."

Sam was slightly taken aback. "You think I'm that good?"

"'Good' is an understatement," Haley told her. "And Jack here is amazing in history. So he'll be helping you with the dates and all that. He's got some great methods of remembering them."

Haley watched as both teenagers stared at each other awkwardly. She realized she was going to have to give them a push in the right direction. She started off the lesson with Jack's paper. At first she was doing all of the talking. Eventually, though, Sam loosened up and took over. It was then that Haley sat back and stayed quiet. She looked over some of their tests and made it seem like she wasn't paying attention. Jack was already nervous, and she didn't want to make him feel even more uncomfortable.

"You should move this paragraph up here," Sam instructed. "I think it would work better in the beginning."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's a good transition into the rest of the topics."

"I never thought of it like that." He made a note on his paper. "Thanks."

"Sure." There was a brief pause, which caught Haley's attention. "So, I'm sorry you guys lost that game the other day."

"Oh. Really?" he asked, stunned.

"Yeah. You guys were doing really well. The whole town was hoping you guys might make it to the championship this year."

"We were, too."

"You had a good streak going for awhile, though," Sam added. "The team has been a lot better since you joined."

"You think so?" Jack almost sounded doubtful.

"Sure. I've never seen anyone move that fast. Not even Quentin."

"I didn't know you went to the games."

"I usually don't."

"So then why did you start?"

"I guess I wanted to see if you were as good as everyone said you were."

"So…what did you think?"

"Turns out they were right."

Haley discretely glanced over at them and noticed Jack blushing. Even Sam seemed a little flushed. Haley smiled to herself and remained quiet for the rest of the session.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Nathan, they were so cute," Haley gushed while she finished making dinner.

"So you keep saying," he teased.

"I can't help it. I'm just glad that they got along so well. You know how low Jack's self-esteem was. I just wanted him to have a chance to talk to Sam and for her to get to know him."

"Well, matchmaker, it looks like you were successful."

"Yes, I was," Haley proclaimed happily.

"I'm glad Jack got to talk to her, though. The guys have been taking their loss in the playoffs kind of hard."

Haley placed the salad on the kitchen table before walking over to Nathan. "So did you. It's not your fault, you know."

"I still feel bad." Nathan really wanted Whitey and the team to win the championship. It was Whitey's last year of coaching. He'd hoped it would've ended on a high note. Quentin, however, was taking the loss the hardest. He was the one who missed the final shot. The moment it had happened, Nathan had flashbacked to his own junior year in high school. The Ravens had been in the playoffs then, too, and it was Lucas who'd missed the game-winning basket. Whoever said that history has a tendency to repeat itself knew a thing or two. Nathan was thinking about having his brother talk to Quentin. Having experienced that kind of disappointment himself, maybe Lucas could help Quentin work through it.

Haley grabbed the collar of Nathan's shirt and pulled him to her. "You were an amazing assistant coach. Just the fact that you were able to get Quentin to behave and work with Jack was an achievement. I know Whitey's proud of you, and so am I."

Nathan smiled and caressed her cheek. "Thanks, Hales." He bent down and touched his lips to hers.

"Now go wash your hands," she instructed. "It's time for dinner."

Nathan walked over to the sink and noticed the stack of mail on the counter. "Did you sort through these letters yet?"

"No. I haven't had time." She took a seat at the table.

Nathan looked through the pile quickly and halted when he came upon one specific envelope. His whole body froze as he stared at it.

"Nathan, honey, the food is going to get cold." He was just standing there with a letter in his hand, looking stunned. "What is it? Can't it wait until after dinner?"

"Hales," he mumbled, not taking his eyes off of the letter. "Do you know what this is?"

Haley shook her head and shrugged. She didn't know or particularly care at the moment. She was starving and wanted to eat. "No."

"It's from the medical lab at the hospital."

Haley's eyebrows shot up as her mouth dropped open. "Oh my God," she whispered and put her hand to her chest. "It's your test results."


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 **

Nathan couldn't tear his eyes away from the envelope in his hands. He knew his test results would arrive in two weeks. He had all that time to prepare himself for whatever the outcome. But now that the results were actually here, he couldn't feel more ill-equipped.

"Nathan, open it," Haley urged. She was standing in front of him, waiting.

He thought about his career and the life he'd built for his family. If the test results were positive, the dream would be over. Nathan's basketball career—what he had worked toward his whole life—would be finished. He could never play again.

"Nathan," Haley said impatiently. She was so nervous that her stomach was sick. She just wanted him to open it already and get it over with. Not knowing was worse.

With shaky hands, Nathan tore open the envelope and pulled out the folded piece of paper inside. He took another deep breath before looking the labs over. It was all a bunch of numbers and medical jargon that he couldn't understand. His eyes scanned to where HCM was printed. That's all that really mattered at the moment.

Haley was biting her lip so hard she was sure to leave a mark. It felt like it was taking Nathan forever to find out the results. Finally, his gaze seemed to hone in on something. He frowned before his eyes widened.

She spun her wedding ring around her finger anxiously. "What? Is it bad?"

Nathan shook his head and laughed in relief. "No."

"'No' what?"

A huge grin spread across his face. "It's negative. The test came back negative," he informed her. "I don't have HCM."

"Oh my God," Haley exclaimed, letting out the breath she'd been unknowingly holding. She threw her arms around Nathan and hugged him tightly. "Thank God."

Nathan ran a hand through his wife's hair and rubbed her back soothingly. She'd started to cry. "It's okay, baby. I'm fine. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

The phone started to ring. Without letting go of Haley, Nathan reached over and answered it. He wasn't surprised that it was Lucas. He'd just gotten his test results today, too. Nathan breathed another sigh of relief when Lucas told him that he'd also tested negative. Neither one of them had HCM.

"That's great, Lucas," he said to his brother. They talked for a few minutes afterward. Meanwhile, Nathan still held Haley in his arms. She wasn't entirely calm just yet. "Hey, Luke, I've got to go. I'll talk to you later, man. Okay…bye." Nathan hung up the phone and focused back on Haley. "Hales," he said tentatively. He put his hand to her cheek and urged her to look at him.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled as more tears spilled down her face. "I'm happy. I am. I'm just…"

"Overwhelmed," he supplied. "I know."

"I was so afraid you'd have it."

"But I don't. I'm fine, Haley. Look," he showed her the lab sheet.

She smiled as a sob escaped.

Nathan pulled her back to him and just held her. It had been a long two weeks for her. Haley needed to let all of her frustration and fear out.

"I love you," she mumbled.

"I love you, too," Nathan replied. He forced her to look at him and claimed her lips in his. The kiss was hot and frantic as the mood in the room changed. Haley's hands were all over him before she grabbed the hem of his shirt. Nathan helped her remove it and made fast work of doing the same to hers. She moaned loudly when their bare skin finally touched. Her hands were unbuttoning his jeans and slipping inside a second later.

It was Nathan's turn to groan at her touch. He buried his head in her neck as she stroked him. Haley always made him feel so damn good. She was kissing and sucking on his earlobe, which only increased his arousal. Realizing that if she continued their coupling would be over before it started, Nathan stilled her hand. Her ministrations felt good, but he wanted the real thing. His lips attacked hers in a fiery kiss as he took her by the hips and lifted her onto the island counter. He undid her dress pants that she'd worn to work earlier and pulled them down with her panties, all the while kissing every patch of her already exposed skin.

Haley clung to Nathan's shoulders as he dragged her to the edge and spread her legs for him. Their dinner long forgotten, Nathan joined them in one quick thrust. They both cried out at the sensation and wasted no time finding their rhythm.

Nathan had one arm around Haley's back, supporting her, as the other hand caressed the curves of her body. Haley's hands were exploring, as well. It was hard to convince herself that Nathan was actually okay. She'd spent the last two weeks fearing the worst.

"I was so scared," Haley revealed breathlessly and tightened her hold on him, needing to be closer. Her lips glided across his chest and stopped at his heart. Haley's hand brushed over it before leaving open-mouth kisses.

"I told you not to worry," Nathan muttered, bringing her lips back to his. His hand slid from her breasts to her stomach. "I'll always be here for you and the baby."

Haley placed her hand atop his and felt the connection to him in the child that they'd created together. Nathan was going to be okay, and so was their little family. Their gazes met and locked, only breaking to share in the most intimate and heartfelt of kisses. Haley clung to Nathan and moaned loudly as he changed angles and went deeper. She met him his movements with strong ones of her own, releasing all of the pain and fear that had been building up inside of her.

Nathan was doing the same. The more connected he felt to his wife, the more his anxiety from the last few weeks began to disappear. It was minutes later that they were falling over the edge together. Their hot, sweaty bodies finally relaxed and leaned into each other as they tried to catch their breath. Once Nathan was dressed, he helped Haley.

"It's so weird putting the clothes back on you," he joked.

Haley swatted his arm. "Stop it. I can't help it if I have trouble bending over nowadays." It usually took more effort than it was worth.

"I'm only teasing, baby."

Haley glanced over at the kitchen table. Their food was most definitely cold by now. "I'll have to reheat everything."

"After what we just did, you'd think it'd be hot." A huge smirk was on Nathan's face as he saw the blush color Haley's cheeks.

"What am I going to do with you?"

He started kissing her neck. "I have a few ideas."

"So since your heart is fine I guess you think you can work it as much as you want, huh?" she kidded right back. It felt good to be able to laugh and joke around about the whole ordeal. Now that it was over, it felt like a heavy burden had finally been lifted off of their shoulders.

"Yup."

Haley directed his mouth to hers in a searing kiss. "Later," she promised. They'd be celebrating the good news all night.

Her expression turned serious, though, as she took a moment to look at him.

"What?" Nathan asked at her stare.

Haley caressed his cheek gently. "I'm just so relieved. I wouldn't ever want to live without you. I don't think I could."

"Me either, Hales." He kissed her forehead and ran a hand through her hair. "Me either."

* * *

"Hello," Haley answered her cell phone.

"Hi, Haley Bop."

"Viv!" she said brightly. She'd missed talking to her sister. They'd both been so busy the past couple of weeks; it was hard to find time to call and catch up. "I feel like it's been forever."

"I know, sorry. Things have been hectic here."

"How are Dee and Bill?"

"They're doing fine. I told you that we're going on vacation next week, right?"

"Yeah. I'm sure Dee will love Disney."

"She's so excited. I can't get the girl to sit still. She insists on packing her own suitcase."

Haley laughed at that. "Uh-oh."

"I know. I'm going to have to double check it when she's not looking. She wants to be a big girl, so I'm trying to let her do her thing."

"What happens when you get to Disney and she realizes you changed it around?"

"Honestly, I'm hoping that she'll be so distracted by Mickey that she won't even notice," Vivian joked.

"So you're staying at the hotels there?"

"Yeah. We wanted the whole magical experience. Who feels like driving back and forth every day? Then it won't feel like a real vacation—at least for Bill. He gets so worked up when he's stuck in traffic."

"You should hear Nathan," Haley replied, smiling to herself. Nathan's vocabulary could certainly get colorful when he was driving. "Now I want to go on vacation."

"I'll send pictures."

"You better."

"So what's been going on with you? What have you been up to?"

"Well, right now I'm just taking a walk. And then later Nathan and I are going over to Lucas and Brooke's for dinner."

"That sounds nice. I heard about Nathan's test results from Mom. I'm so glad he's okay."

"Me, too. I was such a mess last week," Haley stated. "I'm just glad that this week we can kind of relax and focus on other things."

"Like what?" '

"The weather has been getting really nice here. I think I might actually go swimming—or just bob there since my stomach prevents me from doing much else."

"That's right. You've got that really nice in-ground pool. Jerk," Vivian teased.

Haley laughed. "Yup. I can't wait. Besides, Nathan's physical therapist said that it'll be good for his knee."

"How's the rehab going?"

"He's doing well."

"That's good. He'll be back on the basketball court before he knows it."

"Let's hope so. It is his contract year."

"Did you tell him your idea about staying in Tree Hill?"

Haley halted her walk for a second and felt her body tense. "No. Not yet."

"Haley." There was disapproval in her tone.

"I know, Viv. I'm going to talk to him about it but not now. I figure let him get through one thing at a time. I want Nathan focused on his recovery." These last few months had been overwhelming enough. She just couldn't put anything else on Nathan's shoulders right now.

"I guess that makes sense. But don't wait too long."

"I won't."

"Oh, I almost forgot," Vivian exclaimed excitedly. "Mom called me yesterday."

"How is she?"

"She and Dad are fine. But she gave me a bit of gossip."

Haley smiled to herself. Her mother did love to gossip. That woman could never keep a secret. "What is it?"

"It's about Taylor."

"Ugh," Haley groaned. "I'd rather not know." She'd had enough of her sister to last her a lifetime.

"Trust me, you want to hear this."

"I doubt it." Haley had told Vivian all about Taylor's visit. Vivian had not been happy when she found out that Taylor had shown up on Haley's doorstep simply to torment her.

"She and Greg broke up," Vivian announced.

That got Haley's attention. "They did?" she asked, surprised.

"Yup."

"Who broke up with whom?"

"This is where it gets good. He broke up with her."

"Why?" The way Greg had talked about Taylor, he'd seemed to really like her.

"I don't know all of the details, but my guess is that he realized after their little visit what a bitch she really is."

"What was Taylor's reaction?" Haley questioned curiously.

"From what Mom said, she was upset. But now she's already dating someone new."

"Love my ass," she muttered. Not that Haley took pleasure in people's relationships ending, but she was happy that Taylor and Greg were over. Mostly because she thought Greg actually deserved someone better than Taylor. Her sister was a maneater through and through.

Haley continued to talk to Vivian for the rest of her walk. When she returned home, Haley was glad to see that Nathan was back. "Nathan," Haley called when she walked in.

"In the bedroom," he shouted.

Haley went upstairs. She entered their bedroom but still didn't see him. She walked into the bathroom and then the closet. Nathan was there sorting through his clothes.

"What are you doing?"

"Picking something out for dinner tonight. We have to leave in a few hours, and I have to take a shower and all that."

"So I have some news," Haley said as she stepped forward to help him pick out a shirt.

"What is it?"

"Viv told me that Taylor and Greg broke up."

Nathan snorted. "Really? They were so perfect for each other."

Haley whacked his arm playfully. "You sound so disappointed."

"I know. My heart's really breaking," he muttered sarcastically. Nathan knew that relationship wasn't going to last. He was so sure he could've bet money on it. "Although, I have some news."

"What's up?"

"My physical therapist says I can start playing basketball again."

Haley turned to look at Nathan. "Really?" she said hopefully.

"Yeah. Nothing too intense; just some basic movement."

"Aw, honey, that's so great," Haley beamed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him in for a kiss.

"I think Clay was so excited that he nearly peed his pants when I told him."

Haley giggled and kissed him again. "You know he just wants to see you get better." She pulled out a black and gray striped, button-down shirt. "Here. You should wear this tonight."

"With what pants?"

"The gray ones." Haley pulled those out, as well.

"What would I do without you?"

"I don't know, but it would suck."

Nathan chuckled and walked over to her side of the closet. "Since you helped me pick out my clothes, I think I should pick something for you."

"Uh-oh," Haley teased and nudged him. Nathan looked through her clothes and finally grabbed a jade dress with floral print. He'd been with Haley when she tried it on in the store, and he'd loved that color green on her.

"I like this one."

Haley smiled when she saw his pick. "Good choice."

"Of course."

"Now get in that shower. You've been taking longer than me to get ready lately."

"I have not," he denied.

"You, Nathan Scott, are a primper."

"It's not my fault that my hair was being a pain."

"Whatever you say, baby. Get going," she ordered and pointed to the bathroom.

"You're so bossy." Haley shrugged innocently. "I like it," he said in a husky voice and swatted her butt. Nathan hurried into the bathroom before his wife could retaliate.

Haley let out a little squeal and shook her head. Her husband was such a troublemaker.

* * *

Nathan knocked on Lucas and Brooke's door and waited for them to answer. Haley stood next to him holding a dessert she had made. They were both looking forward to tonight. They hadn't seen or heard much from Lucas and Brooke this past week until she had finally called a couple of days ago to schedule dinner for this Thursday night. She wanted them to get together and celebrate the guys being HCM free. They'd all been to hell and back over that scare. They deserved a night of fun.

Nathan rang the doorbell a second time.

"Nathan," Haley scolded.

"What? It's taking them forever."

"They're probably busy preparing dinner. Have some patience."

"You know me." He rang the doorbell a third time and received a smack from Haley.

"Okay, I'm coming. I'm coming," a voice shouted from inside. A second later, Lucas was opening the door. "You're jackass, you know that?"

Nathan smirked. "Haley did it."

"I did not!" Haley protested and glared at him. "You are seriously asking for it tonight, Scott."

"Haley, come on in. Nathan, you can eat out back with the neighbor's dog."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Jeez, no one can take a joke tonight." They followed Lucas into the house.

"Hey, guys," Brooke greeted and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Brooke, did you cook tonight?" Haley asked, trying not to sound skeptical.

"I made a kick-ass salad."

"The rest we had delivered," Lucas filled in. "We got Italian."

"Since it's a nice night out, we figured we could eat out on the balcony."

"That sounds great." Haley stepped forward. "I brought dessert"

Brooke looked at the cake and grinned. "Ooh, that looks good. I'll take that. You guys go outside and make yourselves comfortable. We'll get the food and drinks."

"Nate, you want a beer?" Lucas offered, to which Nathan nodded. "What about you, Hales?"

"Do you have any root beer?"

"Actually, we do," Brooke replied. "I'll bring it right out."

Nathan and Haley went out on the balcony. Haley breathed in the fresh air and took in the sight of all the sailboats. She absolutely loved the view that Lucas and Brooke had of the harbor. There were also little white lights set up along the balcony's railings, creating a great nighttime ambiance.

"This is so beautiful," Haley commented.

Nathan wound his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek. "Yeah, it is."

"Here you guys go." Lucas placed the drinks on the table that was all set up. It took a few more minutes for Brooke and Lucas to bring out all of the food. They refused to let Nathan and Haley help, so the pair took their seats. Nathan let Haley sit facing the water. He sat across from her facing the house. Lucas and Brooke would be sitting on the ends of the small, rectangular table.

"Brooke, this whole setup is so cute," Haley complimented.

"Thank you," Brooke replied. "I love coming out here to just think about things and relax." She shot a look to Lucas that neither Haley nor Nathan missed. "I've been out here a lot lately."

Haley met Nathan's gaze with a curious expression. Was it her imagination or was she detecting an underlying tension between Brooke and Lucas? Brooke told them all to dig in. The table was silent as they all got their food, seeming to confirm Haley's suspicion.

"So, uh, what have you guys been up to this past week?" Nathan asked, making conversation.

"I've been designing my new line for the fall," Brooke said. "And I'm thinking of opening a boutique here in Tree Hill."

"You should, Brooke," Haley encouraged. Her friend wanted to do it badly enough. Why not just go for it?

Lucas passed Nathan the basket of bread. "I've been focusing on the playoffs, as you know."

"Yeah, you did great in that last game. That was a hell of a block, Luke," Nathan complimented.

"Thanks. I thought for sure that guy was going to score."

"You guys will make it this year."

"Of course, basketball isn't everything," Brooke interjected. "It's really just a game when you think about it."

Another bout of silence descended upon the table. Haley watched as Brooke wordlessly dared Lucas to state otherwise. Lucas, meanwhile, was glaring right back.

"This food is delicious," Haley commented.

Lucas swallowed the food in his mouth before speaking. "Some would say that designer clothing really isn't all that necessary. It's just a bunch of smoke and mirrors when you think about it. It's only about image."

"Yeah, the pasta is great," Nathan added, following Haley's lead. He didn't know what was going on between his brother and Brooke, but this dinner seemed to be getting more awkward and tension-filled by the minute. So much for a fun and relaxing night. He just hoped they could make it through dessert.

* * *

Nathan brushed his teeth as Haley rubbed lotion on her face. The pair was in their bathroom at home getting ready for bed. It was an early night for them. It wasn't even eleven o'clock yet. Nathan couldn't remember a time when he'd been as eager to get away from his brother and Brooke. The whole night had just been weird. Lucas and Brooke were usually a disgustingly affectionate couple who liked to laugh and joke around.

Tonight, however, they'd been the complete opposite. There had been a lot of sneaky and snide comments passing between Lucas and Brooke. They barely glanced at each other. And when they did, it was a lot of accusing and challenging looks. Nathan was tempted to ask if something was wrong but thought better of it. He didn't want to seem nosy or make the situation even more uncomfortable. Haley must have been thinking the same thing, because she didn't bring it up to Brooke, either. He and Haley simply did their best to fill in the gaps of silence. At times they were the only two carrying on the conversation.

It had been a relief when they finally did leave. Normally they would all sit around, have a few drinks, and talk some more after dinner. It was obvious that that wouldn't be happening tonight. Haley had made up an excuse about being tired, giving them a reason to leave early.

"What do you think they were fighting about?" Haley wondered aloud.

Nathan shook his head and spit into the sink. "I have no idea. It was weird."

"Brooke never called and told me anything was going on between her and Lucas this week. Either it just happened or whatever it is, it's bad."

"I thought she was going to throw one of the dinner rolls at him at one point."

Haley laughed softly. "I noticed that, too."

"Poor guy."

"Or poor Brooke. We don't know who started it."

"Well, let's hope they work it out before we see them again." He really didn't think he could take another dinner like that.

Haley headed into the bedroom. Nathan shut off the bathroom lights before following her. He was just about to get into bed when the doorbell rang. Duke jumped up from his bed and dashed out the door, barking down the hallway.

Haley frowned. "Who could that be?"

"You stay here. I'll check it out."

"Be careful," Haley called after him.

Nathan grabbed a t-shirt and put it on. He didn't bother with his shorts. His boxers looked normal enough. And it was nighttime. What did their mysterious visitor expect?

"Quiet, Duke," Nathan ordered as the dog barked loudly. Nathan turned on the outside lights before pushing Duke aside and opening the door. "Brooke?" Nathan was stunned to see her.

She was the last person he'd expected to pay them a late-night visit. Even more astonishing was the way she looked. Brooke wasn't her usually composed self. She had on a sweatshirt and jeans with her hair up in a messy ponytail. Nathan didn't even think she was wearing makeup. She also held her car keys in one hand with a small bag in the other.

"Brooke, what's going on?" It was then that he noticed her red, puffy, glistening eyes. She'd obviously been crying recently. "What's wrong?"

Brooke took a shaky, shallow breath and sobbed, "The wedding is off. Lucas and I broke up."


	32. Chapter 31

**Thank you all so much for your reviews last chapter. Since I'm home sick today, I figured that I would update. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, and please review!**

* * *

**Chapter 31 **

**_May 4, 2012_**

Nathan stared at Brooke, dumbfounded. "What?"

"Can I come in?" Brooke asked as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Yes, of course." Nathan stepped aside for her to enter and called Haley to come downstairs.

"Nathan, who is it?" Haley questioned. She was tying her bathrobe around her waist when she noticed Brooke. "Brooke, oh my God, what's wrong?"

"Lucas and I broke up," she repeated.

Haley was instantly by her side, hugging her. "Let's go into the living room, and you can tell us what happened." She looked to Nathan. "Maybe you can make some tea."

Nathan nodded. "Sure."

He went into the kitchen to heat up the water while Haley led Brooke over to the couch. She reached over on the end table for the box of Kleenex and handed it to Brooke.

"Thanks," Brooke mumbled and blew her nose.

No one talked until the tea was done. Haley simply hugged Brooke and stroked her back as she continued to cry. She'd never seen Brooke so upset. The brunette was usually so bubbly and confident. Whatever happened between her and Lucas must've been serious.

Nathan and Haley exchanged a look as he handed out mugs of the hot tea. Brooke took a sip and sniffled.

"Do you think you can tell us what happened now?" Haley gently prompted as Nathan took a seat on the recliner across from them.

"I thought everything was fine," Brooke said. "When we found out that the whole HCM scare was for nothing, I felt so relieved. I thought that things could finally get back to normal."

Haley bobbed her head in understanding. She knew exactly what Brooke meant.

"But then Lucas got a call at the house from the hospital in Charlotte. It was a cardiovascular specialist. I ended up listening to the message, and the guy said that he'd like to get together with Lucas to discuss a new medication," Brooke explained. "So that got me thinking: Why would Lucas need to see a cardiovascular specialist if he's fine? I asked Lucas about it, and he said that it was nothing. The guy probably got the wrong person. So I called the doctor back to clear up the confusion and that's when I found out."

"Found out what?" Nathan urged, getting a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Brooke inhaled a shaky breath. "That Lucas does have HCM."

"What?" Haley replied. She and Nathan were both stunned.

"How?" Nathan wondered. "Lucas said the test results were—"

Brooke shook her head and explained, "The doctor told me that his test results came back positive. I still wasn't sure if I believed him, so I went snooping through Lucas's things and found the test results buried in his desk drawer. The doctor was right. He does have HCM. Lucas lied to me. To all of us."

"Oh my God," Haley murmured. She couldn't believe it. She didn't know whether to be angry that Lucas had lied or sad that he did actually have the disease.

"I found that out on Tuesday. So I confronted Lucas the next day when he was back in town. He wouldn't admit to it until I showed him the test results I'd found," Brooke recounted. "We got into this huge fight. I was furious that he'd lied to me about something like this, and he was pissed that I'd gone through his things. "But honestly, I didn't care. I had this weird feeling that something wasn't right. Because after Lucas told me he didn't have HCM, I was completely fine. I felt so relieved and carefree again. But Lucas continued to look stressed. At first I thought it was because of the playoffs, but even when he was home he was on edge. I didn't understand it."

"What happened after your fight?" Nathan inquired.

"I told him that he needed to seriously think about what he was doing." Brooke paused and struggled with her next words. "I told him he needed to leave the NBA."

"I bet that didn't go over well," Haley commented. Even Nathan cringed when she said it.

"No, it didn't. Lucas thinks he can still play despite his condition. I tried explaining to him the risks. I read up on the disease. I know what happens. Players can collapse and die on the court in the middle of games," Brooke exclaimed. "Not to mention the other side effects in the long run. Just look at what happened to Dan."

"Is Lucas at least considering retiring after this season?" Nathan asked hopefully. He knew how much his brother loved basketball and being in the NBA. It was his dream, just like Nathan's.

"No. He's not planning on retiring. He's being so stubborn about it and acting like he doesn't have HCM at all. I told him that if he didn't do the right thing, then I would. I wasn't going to stand by and watch him kill himself. I love him too much to lose him. I told him that," Brooke said, her voice sounding almost hysterical. "He was so mad at me."

Haley rubbed Brooke's back gently. "So what did you do?"

Brooke grabbed another tissue and dabbed at her wet eyes. "This morning I called his coach."

Nathan's eyes widened. He knew what that meant. If Lucas's coach ever found out about his heart condition, that would be it. The coach and league officials wouldn't let him play in the NBA with a serious disease like that. It was too much of a risk.

"What happened after that?" Haley prodded.

"The coach called Lucas after you guys left. He told him that he would be released from his contract…and the team. Lucas was livid. We got into this huge fight tonight after he called. It was so bad, you guys. The things he said to me…" Brooke trailed off, crying. "He's never talked to me like that."

"Brooke, I am so sorry."

"He said that I ruined his life and that he never wants to see me again. And then I said that was fine, because I didn't want to be with someone so pigheaded and selfish. But I didn't mean it. I really didn't mean it."

"We know, Brooke," Nathan said and put his hand over hers. He hated seeing Brooke like this and knowing that it was because of his brother.

"I'm sure you think I was wrong to call the coach, but I couldn't let Lucas continue lying. I couldn't. Nathan, you know how physically intense basketball is. I'd never forgive myself if I said nothing, and he collapsed on the court one of these days."

"You did the right thing, Brooke," Nathan reassured her. "Lucas was against getting tested in the first place, so I understand where you're coming from. I would've done the same thing."

"His career is over, and it's my fault. He'll never forgive me," Brooke said hoarsely. "That's it for us. We're done."

"Brooke, you guys have been together forever. And although Lucas is angry now, he still loves you. He'll understand why you did what you did eventually."

"I don't know. And I couldn't stay in that house after everything. So I packed my bag and left. He didn't stop me."

Haley looked to Nathan who nodded at her silent question. "You can stay here with us," Haley offered.

"Thank you, guys, but I'm not going to intrude on you like that."

"It's no trouble."

"I only came here because I needed my friends. I'm actually going to stay at my parents' house. They're in New York now, so the house is empty. At least I won't have to deal with my mother saying 'I told you so.'"

"Well, why don't you stay here? Just for tonight," Nathan amended before she could protest. "It's late, and you shouldn't be driving when you're this upset."

"The guest room is all set. You can sleep there," Haley added.

Brooke was silent before she finally agreed. "Okay."

"Come on. You need rest." Haley stood to lead Brooke upstairs.

Nathan stayed seated on the couch, trying to process it all. He couldn't help but feel stupid. Lucas had, after all, tricked him, too. Nathan remembered thinking how lucky it was that neither he nor Lucas had HCM. The odds of one of them having it had been so high. He thought they'd actually managed to beat them.

He felt like such a fool.

* * *

"Morning." Haley glanced away from the pancakes she was making to see Nathan walk into the kitchen.

"Hi."

"You're up early."

"I didn't sleep well last night."

"Me either." He gave Haley a quick kiss.

"I made coffee."

"I'm going to need it." He poured himself a cup. "Is Brooke up?"

"No. I think she's still sleeping. She had a long night."

"That's for sure." Nathan sighed and shook his head. "I cannot believe that they broke up."

"You don't think they'll get back together?"

"I don't know. I can only imagine how angry Lucas is right now. It might take time."

"I still can't believe he lied. It's so unlike Lucas."

"I know. Of the two of us, he was always the responsible one."

Haley placed the plate of freshly made pancakes on the table. Afterward, she went to stir the scrambled eggs and finish cooking the bacon. "Well, I don't think he's himself right now."

Nathan made a plate for himself and Haley. "I'm going to see him today. Maybe I can get through to him."

"I hope so." She placed some eggs and bacon on their plates. "Brooke is really heartbroken. She was looking so forward to the wedding."

"It's a mess," Nathan sighed. He couldn't help feeling a little guilty. "I'm the one who forced him to get tested."

Haley sat down next to him at the counter and rubbed his arm. "You didn't force him to do anything, Nathan. Lucas made the choice in the end to get tested. And it's good that he did, because we never would've known that he had HCM. What do you think would've happened if he'd gone unchecked?"

"You're right. I know you're right."

"Of course I am," she said in light, teasing tone. "You were just being a good brother. There's no reason to apologize for that."

Nathan smiled and leaned in to kiss her deeply. A soft moan escaped her, causing him to smirk against her lips. "You're a pretty sexy voice of reason. You know that?" he said in a husky, yet amused voice.

She pulled his head back down to hers. "You better believe it, Scott."

* * *

Haley's cell phone started ringing. When she saw Peyton's name flash across the screen, she quickly answered it. "Hey, thanks for getting back to me."

"Sure. Your message was kind of cryptic. It had me worried," Peyton replied.

Haley opened the back door and walked out onto the patio. She took a seat on the lounge. Brooke had said she was going to take a bath after eating breakfast. She was probably in the bathroom, but Haley didn't want to chance her overhearing her conversation with Peyton.

"What's up, Haley?" Peyton prompted.

"Brooke showed up at my doorstep last night. She and Lucas had gotten into a really big fight."

"How big?"

"They broke up," Haley answered solemnly.

Peyton gasped. "Oh my God. Are you serious? What happened?"

Haley filled Peyton in on everything that had happened. She recounted the whole HCM scare and how they'd all been relieved to find out that neither Nathan nor Lucas had had it. She went on to describe what Brooke had told her, ending with Brooke calling Lucas's coach and their big fight that followed.

"I cannot believe he lied like that. That doesn't sound like Lucas."

"I know. That's what Nathan and I said. I'm really worried about Brooke, Peyton. I've never seen her so upset. She's in bad shape. I'm not even sure what to do."

"Have you talked to Lucas at all? Maybe what he said was in the heat of the moment. I'm sure he didn't mean it. Maybe he just needs time to cool off," Peyton suggested.

"I hope so. Nathan went to talk to him today. We'll see what he says."

"Poor Brooke."

"I know."

"Is she going to stay with you?"

"We offered, but she wouldn't hear of it. She's going to stay in her old house. I guess her parents are in New York right now."

"She shouldn't be alone."

"I know. I don't like her being in that big, empty house by herself either," Haley agreed.

"Maybe I should come out there."

"Can you even do that? What about work?"

"Well, I haven't gotten a chance to tell you, but I actually quit."

"You did?"

"Yup."

"What happened?"

"I tried to get my boss to look at this really amazing band I discovered. He said he'd consider them if I'd consider undoing a few buttons on my blouse."

Haley's mouth dropped open in shock as her face twisted disgust. "What a pig."

"I told him to go fuck himself and then went to my cubicle to pack my things. I've been unemployed ever since. But it has given me some time to work on my art."

"Good for you," Haley complimented her. She would've walked out, too, if she had a perverted boss like that. "What did Jake say?"

"He couldn't have been more proud."

"I'm glad."

"Anyway, now that I'm jobless, I have a whole bunch of free time on my hands. I think it would be the perfect time for a trip back home."

"It'd be great to see you again. Brooke and I miss having you around."

"I'll have to talk to Jake since we originally talked about coming in June, but I'm sure he'll understand considering the circumstances."

"Well, let me know if you're coming. We can pick you up at the airport."

"That'd be great. Thanks."

"No problem."

"So do Karen and Keith know what happened yet?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think so. But I think they'll be just as pissed to learn about Lucas's lie."

"Maybe Keith will knock some sense into him—if Nathan doesn't do it first."

Haley thought about Nathan. He had looked like he was about to go into battle when he left for Lucas's. It was like he was prepared for the worst. She just hoped that Nathan would be able to talk some sense into his brother.

* * *

"So you didn't have any luck at all?" Haley whispered.

"He wouldn't even answer the door," Nathan replied, keeping his voice just as low.

Today was the first session of their childbirth class. It was held at the Tree Hill Memorial Hospital and would meet at least once a week for the next two months. They'd arrived early like Haley had wanted. A few other couples had also shown up ahead of time. It was a rather large class with close to twenty couples. Haley and Nathan had talked to a few people before class had started. A lot of people had been looking at them. They seemed to recognize Nathan. A couple of the husbands had even asked for autographs. Despite that, it was nice to be around other couples who were sharing the same experience.

Their instructor was also very nice. She was an older woman named Julie with long, graying hair. She looked a little bit like a hippie to Nathan, but she was very thorough in explaining the content and purpose of the course to the class. Julie had passed out pamphlets and information sheets to them before taking them on a tour of the hospital. Nathan and Haley were toward the back of the group. Nathan had been gone for most of the day, and they hadn't had much time to talk about how his encounter with Lucas had gone. According to Nathan, however, it seemed as if the talk hadn't gone at all.

"Was he home?"

"His car was there, and I heard the TV on. He was definitely home." Nathan had been so frustrated when Lucas wouldn't even acknowledge him. He hadn't planned on going over there to yell at Lucas. Okay, so maybe there would've been some scolding. But Nathan mostly just wanted to find out what was going with his older brother. Lucas deserved to at least have his side of the situation heard. Nathan may not agree with it, but he was willing to listen. The fact that Lucas wouldn't even come to the door only made him more worried. If Brooke was that much of a mess, then Lucas couldn't be any better. He must've still been pissed and dealing with it all if he didn't want to answer the door. Nathan wasn't going to give up, though. His brother could only ignore him for so long.

"I have a really bad feeling about this."

"You and me both."

"Do you guys mind?" another woman interrupted agitatedly. "I can't hear with you two talking."

Haley had noticed this woman earlier. She came off as bossy and a braggart. Kind of like how her sister Quinn could be sometimes. And the woman would not stop asking questions while the instructor was speaking. Most of the time Julie was just about to answer the question before this lady interrupted her. It was really annoying after awhile.

"No, we don't mind at all," Haley retorted. "But if you can't hear, then I suggest walking faster to get to the front." If it was anyone else, Haley would've apologized. But she wasn't about to let this lady push her around, too.

Nathan suppressed at laugh at his wife's answer and the pissed-off look on the woman's face. She turned her nose up at them and muttered "how rude" before pulling her husband along with her.

"Honey, look. Jell-o," the husband exclaimed and swiped a cup off of one of the food carts.

"I told you not to touch anything," she snapped.

"But I'm hungry."

"_Dante_," she hissed disapprovingly.

Nathan almost busted out laughing when the husband deliberately stuck his spoon in the cup and took a big bite, followed by a "mmm" sound. The woman glared at him before walking ahead of her husband, as well.

"I feel bad for that guy," Nathan murmured.

"Me, too," Haley agreed.

They were quiet for the rest of the tour. It's not like they could find a way to magically fix what was going with Lucas and Brooke right now anyway. They'd just have to wait and see how it all played out. After the hospital tour was over, they arrived back in the classroom. The room was white, but there were numerous colorful posters hung on the walls. Some were informational while others were just portraits of newborns. Haley's heart melted when she saw the babies. As nerve-wracking as the thought of becoming a parent could be, it was also the most exciting feeling in the world.

"If you'd all like to take your seats now, I'm going to show you a couple of short videos," Julie announced. "Like I said earlier, you mommies and daddies-to-be will choose how you want your babies delivered. Some of you may want to have a natural birth while others choose to have an epidural. Some of you will have a vaginal birth while others choose to have a caesarian. The first video will be about the growth and development of the fetus. The second one will show both a vaginal and caesarean birth." Julie went to put on the DVD and shut off the lights in the room.

The movie started, and Nathan's eyebrows rose when he saw an egg being fertilized on screen. Obviously everyone in the class knew how pregnancy happened. They could've just skipped that part. Nathan watched as the different stages of growth and development were described by the movie's narrator. For some reason Nathan couldn't explain, he began to feel nervous. It's not like he didn't know this stuff. He'd read the baby books along with Haley. They'd been reading the information on the different stages of pregnancy as the baby grew. So what was the big deal all of a sudden?

Nathan fidgeted in his seat and was relieved when the movie was finally over. Julie placed the second DVD inside and pushed play. If Nathan had been uncomfortable before, he was even more so now. His face contorted in revulsion when he saw the woman on screen screaming. The camera went from her face down to her lower region. Nathan's eyes widened when he saw the head coming out. There was all this red fluid spilling out as the woman pushed. It didn't even look like the woman was delivering a baby. The slimy head reminded Nathan of an alien he'd seen in a horror movie once.

When the baby finally came out, the scene changed to a woman having a caesarean. Nathan had never really been the squeamish type, but this stuff was just disgusting. He saw the doctor placing the knife below the pregnant woman's swollen abdomen. He felt his hair standing up when they opened the cut they'd made wider. Nathan glanced over at Haley and was stunned to see that she looked completely fine. She didn't look grossed out or scared. She was simply watching with a fascinated and pensive expression on her face. It didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. He shifted his gaze back to the screen when he heard the sound of a baby crying. Nathan thought he was going to be sick when he saw the blood and dilapidated shape of the mother's stomach. This looked worse than the natural birth. Nathan looked at the other couples and noticed many of the other fathers cringing. He didn't feel so bad. At least he wasn't the only one disturbed by this.

"Isn't that amazing?" Haley murmured as they cleaned up the baby.

Nathan swallowed hard. "Uh…sure."

Maybe he wasn't as ready for this as he thought.


	33. Chapter 32

**Hey guys, thank you all for the reviews last chapter. I'm so sorry for the long wait. Life has been really crazy. I was planning on updating this past weekend, but I forgot my laptop when I went home to visit my family. So that set me back. But something really awesome happened last week. I saw James Lafferty in New York City! I was just walking down the street and there he was walking toward me. I was completely shocked at first and had to do a double take. It was a really great moment, though. It pretty much made my week. And I have to say that he is even more attractive in person. **

**Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter. Please read and tell me what you think!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 32 **

**_May 6, 2012_ **

Haley took a big bite of her hamburger, followed by a big gulp of her root beer float, and moaned. Had food always tasted this good?

"You okay over there, Tutor Mom?" Brooke teased.

"I'm starving."

Peyton chuckled. "We can see that."

"This is so good, Karen," Haley said and took another bite.

"I'm glad you like it," Karen replied, smiling. They'd gone to the mall before coming to Karen's Café. Haley had needed to shop for some things for the baby's nursery. She'd invited Brooke and Peyton along, knowing Brooke could use the distraction.

"I've missed this," Peyton declared. "I hate being so far away."

"But you're here now," Karen stated, looking on the bright side.

Peyton had arrived in Tree Hill yesterday. Like promised, Haley and Nathan had picked her up at the airport. Brooke had also tagged along. Haley was glad that Brooke had wanted to come. She needed to get out of the house and keep her mind off of Lucas. It was when they saw Peyton that they all realized how much they'd truly missed each other. It was great to have her back in , Jake couldn't come with her. He was bogged down at work and couldn't afford to take the time off. But at least Peyton was around and staying with Brooke at her house. No one wanted to leave Brooke alone in that big, empty house.

"And I can't believe how big you've gotten," Peyton said to Haley.

"Watch it, P. Sawyer. Insulting a pregnant woman is never a good thing," Brooke warned.

"Sorry," Peyton apologized to Haley. "I didn't mean that you're fat. I just meant that the baby is getting big. You know, because it's inside your stomach and—"

"I know what you meant," Haley interrupted. Peyton gave her a grateful smile. "And lucky for you, I tend to be in a good mood when I'm eating."

"So, have you and Nathan picked out any names yet?" Karen questioned.

"We've thrown some suggestions around here and there, but nothing permanent yet," Haley answered.

"How far along are you now?"

"Twenty-eight weeks or seven months, depending on how you want to look at it. I'm officially in my third trimester."

"It's the home stretch, Tutor Mom. You're getting there."

"Are you taking any childbirth or lamas classes?" Karen inquired.

"Both. Nathan and I actually went to our first session of the childbirth class a couple of days ago."

Peyton took a sip of her soda. "How did that go?"

"It was good. Very informative." Haley grinned thinking about one particular memory. "They showed this video of a woman giving birth and then this other one of a woman having a C-section. Nathan was so freaked out."

"I would pay good money to see Nathan in one of those classes."

"Me, too," Brooke chimed in. "The look on his face must've been priceless."

"Oh, it was. I've never seen him look so squeamish."

"Keith was the same way. I thought he was going to pass out when I was giving birth to Lucas."

"Keith was there?" Peyton spoke up.

"He was. He held my hand the whole time. Poor guy. I almost broke it," Karen chuckled. "He was better when I had Lily, but he still was grossed out during the childbirth classes. Every time the instructor talked about vaginal fluid he'd get this weird look on his face."

"As long as Nathan stays upright and coherent when I'm giving birth, I'll be happy," Haley declared.

"Are you going the natural route or do you want the drugs?" Peyton questioned.

"The drugs. Definitely," Haley answered. "Vivian went the natural route and said it was the most painful experience of her life. She says next time she's getting an epidural."

"I had the epidural with both Lucas and Lily. Although with Lucas, the doctor turned it down to make the delivery quicker—the jerk. So I felt more than I would've liked with him. With Lily I didn't feel a thing."

"Well, Lucas did have that big head, right?" Haley joked.

They all laughed, except for Brooke. Haley glanced at her friend and saw the sad look in her eyes. "Oh, Brooke, I'm sorry," Haley apologized. She'd been so careful lately not to bring up Lucas. She'd totally forgotten herself with all of this baby talk.

"It's okay," Brooke dismissed with a shake of her head. Karen put her hand atop Brooke's. Haley knew that Brooke had been relieved when Karen sided with her during this whole Lucas ordeal. Karen had seemed even more livid than Brooke that Lucas had lied about his heart test. From what Haley had heard, she and Keith had marched over to the house to have a talk with him. It didn't go that well. Now Lucas wasn't talking to them either. He'd completely closed himself off from everyone.

It didn't help that his absence from the NBA playoffs became a big issue among fans. They wanted to know where Lucas was and why he wasn't with his team. That's when the rumors had started to swirl. A press conference was supposed to be held tomorrow by the coach to explain what was happening. All hell was about to break loose once the media got a hold of that story. Clay had even flown in to Tree Hill to talk with Nathan. Once Lucas's condition and retirement were announced, Nathan would be facing the same media firestorm. They had to be ready.

"We're all here for you. You know that, right?" Peyton reassured her.

"I know. I'm just…it's going to be bad when everyone finds out. I can't deal with that crap right now."

Haley put her arm around Brooke and gave her an affectionate squeeze. "You're not alone in this, Tigger."

"And I promise to kick the ass of any reporter that comes near you."

"Peyton," Haley said and pointed to her stomach.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Butt. I meant I'll kick their butts."

"Thanks."

Brooke checked her watch. "I should get going. I've got some plans to look over."

"What plans?" they all asked, curious.

"Oh, I forgot that I didn't tell you. I'm going to build a Clothes Over Bro's boutique in Tree Hill."

"That's awesome, Brooke," Peyton said. "You've been wanting to do that for a long time now."

Haley nodded. "That's what I said."

"I know. I figured there was no time like the present." Brooke shrugged. "Anyway, I'm meeting the contractor in a half hour. I've got to head out."

"I'm going to visit my dad for a while but call me when you get back to the house," Peyton told her. "We'll hang out, and you can tell me all about it."

"I will." Brooke grabbed her purse, placed the money for her meal on the table, and left.

"You and Karen are welcome to come over, too," Peyton offered.

"Thanks, but I can't. I'm closing the café tonight," Karen replied.

"And Nathan and I have some things to take care of. It's going to get hectic around here."

Karen sighed, suddenly looking exhausted. "I'm worried for him." There was no need to clarify who "him" was. They all knew and were just as concerned.

Haley gave Karen a hug. "I can stay a little longer if you want."

"It's okay, Haley. You go home and do what you have to do. I'll be all right."

"Are you sure?" Peyton prodded.

"Yes. Keith and Lily will be stopping by later. I won't be alone."

Haley and Peyton finished their meals and said good-bye to Karen. It took a couple of minutes for them to gather their shopping bags. Peyton drove Haley home and helped her take her things inside.

"Nathan," Haley called out after Peyton had left.

"We're outside, Haley," she heard Clay shout.

Haley took one of the shopping bags with her and walked out onto the patio. Clay was sitting at the table. Nathan was in the pool, swimming laps.

"He's looking good," Clay commented.

"That's for sure," Haley agreed as she saw Nathan's muscles bunch and flex as he swam. She licked her lips at the delicious sight.

Clay laughed out loud. "No wonder you're pregnant."

Haley whacked his shoulder and took a seat. It was a couple of minutes later that Nathan stopped swimming and came to the surface for some air.

"You're back."

"Yeah, I just got in."

"I see you and the girls went shopping."

"You have to see this." Haley reached into the shopping bag. Meanwhile, Nathan got out of the pool and started to dry off. "How adorable is this?" she exclaimed. Haley held up a tiny little white outfit that read _Mommy's little meatball _on the front in red and green lettering. There was a picture of messy spaghetti and meatballs, as well.

Nathan laughed and leaned in to kiss her. He took the seat between her and Clay. "It's cute, Hales."

"I've got another one." Haley grabbed another outfit from the bag. It was the same one as before only it read _Daddy's little baller_ with a picture of a basketball.

"I love that one," Nathan stated in approval.

"Very appropriate," Clay added, chuckling.

Haley put the little outfits away. "I got more clothes and some toys, but they're in the house. So what have you boys been up to today?"

"Rehab," Nathan answered as Clay said, "Damage control."

"So it's going to be bad tomorrow," Haley surmised.

"I've already prepared a statement," Clay replied. "It basically says that Nathan does not have HCM, and his career in the NBA is not in jeopardy. It also mentions that the family would like some privacy in dealing with Lucas's condition."

"Did you talk to Lucas's agent?" Nathan had been calling Lucas, but his brother never picked up the phone. He didn't even know how Lucas was going to handle everything after news of him having HCM got out. Clay was friends with Lucas's agent, and Nathan asked if he could get some information from the inside.

"What's their plan?"

"Lucas has refused to do a press conference or any type of interview. Lucas pretty much just told Ted to handle it, so he's releasing a statement as well."

"Do you know what it'll say?" Haley inquired.

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen it. But I gave Ted a copy of ours, so he's prepared. The way he talks is that Lucas doesn't care what he writes. He just wants to be left alone."

Nathan and Haley exchanged worried looks. She rubbed a comforting hand on his back when he sighed and covered his face. "He won't talk to me. I don't know what he's up to, but I guarantee he's not taking this well at all."

"Nate, I'm sorry," Clay muttered. "I know he's your brother, and that you want to help him."

"I just…I've seen firsthand what losing the game can do to a person. I don't want that for Lucas."

Haley continued to stroke Nathan's back soothingly. She knew he was thinking about Dan, and the envy and bitterness he'd taken out on Nathan all of his life. "Nathan, Lucas isn't Dan," she assured him softly.

Nathan stared her straight in the eye and said sadly, "But he could be if he lets it consume him."

* * *

"I'm unplugging the phone. What part of 'we want our privacy' don't these people get?" Haley muttered. She and Nathan had watched the press conference on TV this morning. Their phone had been ringing nonstop ever since.

"Do it," Nathan told her. If anyone they knew needed to call them, they'd reach them on their cell phones.

"And our number isn't listed. How the hell do they find it?"

"I don't know, but I've got to go in the pool. Marcus called and said he had to reschedule. So I've got to do my exercises in there."

"Maybe I'll come out, too," Haley said. It was a warm, sunny day. "But don't forget, we have my doctor's appointment later today." Now that Haley was in her third trimester, the doctor wanted to see her at least once every two weeks to make sure that she and the baby were okay.

"It's at two, right?"

"Yeah."

They went upstairs to change into their bathing suits. Haley also grabbed the book of baby names on the way out. She wasn't sure if she'd end up going in the pool. Her legs were cramping up today, so it's not like she could do as much swimming as Nathan. She might as well get some ideas for baby names while Nathan did his rehab.

Haley glanced through the book and highlighted the names she liked. She sat at the edge with her feet dangling in the water. Every once in a while Nathan would ask to hear what she'd picked.

"No way," Nathan objected yet again.

"What is wrong with Jayden? I kind of like that name."

"It sounds too girly. And I am not naming our child after one of Britney Spears's kids."

"Fine. What about Hayden?"

"That's a little better."

"Avery?"

"No."

"Riley?"

"No."

"Julian?"

"Sounds too much like Julia."

"It's the boy version."

"Don't care. It's not going to happen."

"Well, what do you like?"

"How about Jordan?" Nathan suggested.

"I am not naming my son after your favorite basketball player."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm just not. Next," she ordered.

"Travis?"

"Not crazy about that one either."

"Ryder."

"Ugh."

"What about Colby?"

"Yet another basketball name," Haley pointed out.

"So? I like it."

"Not happening." She glanced back at the book when a mischievous thought popped into her head. "I've got some better suggestions."

"Fine. If you think they're better," he mumbled in a huff.

"They are. I also picked out Finn, Wesley, Wendell, Dennis, Milo, Oscar, and Blaze," Haley listed while trying not to crack up at the look on Nathan's face.

"'Blaze'?" Nathan repeated. "As in _Blazing Saddles_? You want to name our kid after _Blazing Saddles_? And Finn? What is he, a fish? And don't even get me started on Oscar. I am not naming my kid after a freaking hot dog."

"So those are a no then?"

"Those are a _hell_ _no_," Nathan proclaimed.

Not being able to hold it in anymore, Haley busted out laughing. "What's so funny?"

"I can't believe you actually thought I'd name our kid Blaze. Blaze Scott," she said, testing it out and laughing some more.

Nathan's eyes narrowed when he realized that she'd just been messing with him. He swam toward Haley, his exercises forgotten. She didn't even notice as she continued to laugh. "You think that's funny?"

"Hilarious."

"Okay. How about this?"

Before she could react, Nathan grabbed Haley's hips and pulled her into the pool. She let out a little squeal as her head went underwater. She came back up sputtering. "Nathan!" she shouted, coughing.

"Woops. My bad."

"I can't believe you just tried to drown the baby and me."

"I didn't drown you. I dunked you."

Haley gave him a dirty look and splashed him angrily. She then turned around and made her way to the stairs to get out.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you."

"Come on, Hales, it was just a joke."

"Ha ha."

He grabbed onto her arm and made her face him. It took a few seconds to realize that there were tears and not water droplets rolling down her face. "Are you crying?"

"No," she sobbed.

He cursed himself. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her. "Hales, come on. I didn't mean it."

She sniffled. "Then why did you do it?"

"I was just playing with you."

"I could've drowned."

"Don't you think you're being a bit overdramatic?" he asked and immediately realized that was the wrong thing to say. It's not like he'd pulled her into the pool roughly or anything, but trivializing his wife's already overactive emotions and hormones would not have a good result. "Okay, I'm sorry for almost drowning you and the baby. It was stupid, and I didn't mean it."

Haley remained silent with her eyes averted. Nathan pulled her up against him and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her cheek gently. "Don't stay mad at me, Hales," he murmured in her ear. "I really am sorry."

He kissed her again, moving lower to her jaw. He made his way down her neck. Nathan knew he was forgiven when she let out a little sigh. He stroked her back and brought his other hand to her cheek. Nathan guided Haley's face to his and captured her lips in a sensual kiss. Haley's arms slid around his neck in response. It wasn't long before her legs followed suit and wrapped around his waist.

As quick as her anger over being dunked in the pool had come, it dissipated. The only emotion she could focus on now was desire. Damn his charm and chiseled body. It turned her into mush.

"You know, the pool is the only thing we haven't christened," Nathan whispered huskily in her ear. Haley pulled away just enough to give him a sexy and seductive smile. She thanked God that their backyard was fenced so none of their neighbors could see them. Her hands slid down his perfect chest and stomach to undo the strings of his bathing suit bottoms.

"We should probably take care of that," she murmured against his lips. She moaned out loud as his hands roamed all over her body. Despite being in the water, her skin felt like it was on fire. Nathan mouthed his way down her chest and slid her bathing suit top down, paying special attention to her breasts. Haley was practically mewling at the way his mouth caressed her sensitive nubs.

Nathan walked them over to the edge and pressed her up against the side to get more support. With one hand stroking her face, his other slid down her body and between her legs to stroke another part of her.

"Nathan," she moaned, trying to keep her voice down. Their neighbors couldn't see them, but they still had ears. Her hands in his hair, Haley tugged him back up to her. She kissed him ardently and groaned when she couldn't pull him as closely as she would've liked because of her ever-expanding stomach. "I'm too big," she mumbled.

Nathan broke the kiss to look at her. "What?"

"I'm getting too big," Haley repeated.

"You look perfect to me," he said and brushed his thumb along her cheek. "Besides, I'm always up for a challenge." Much to his satisfaction, that got a little smile out of her. Nathan claimed Haley's mouth in his, causing her to moan all over again.

She arched into his touch, wanting more. Haley was almost shaking she wanted Nathan so badly. She yanked down his shorts and let him lean her back a little to give them the right angle. He pulled her bathing suit bottoms aside and rubbed himself against her, making her whimper. His name fell from her lips, her tone pleading. Then he plunged himself deep inside of her.

Nathan's mouth covered Haley's to prevent the sounds they were making from escaping. He was quickly losing himself in the way her nails scraped up his back and over his shoulders as she moved with him. The sound of the water rippling around them just made it that much more sensual.

Haley was completely content as they made love. She had to admit that she was loving the pool. She felt so much lighter floating in the water. They took their time, taking full advantage and savoring the experience.

"I love you like this," Nathan mumbled.

She was kissing his neck. "What?"

He touched her stomach and looked at her. "Like this. Pregnant. You're so sexy."

Haley felt the sensations in her body heighten at his words. "You're so sexy when you say I'm sexy," she joked, causing him to chuckle quietly. Haley brought his lips back to hers, needing to feel closer. With every stroke, it felt like an electric current was running through her body, making it hum and increasing her need. It was like another part of her—something hot and primal—had taken over entirely. Her mind clouded and the only thing that mattered was what she could feel.

It wasn't long before they both gave in to the pleasure that was taking over. The spark that had been building between them finally exploded, and they fell over the edge together. Nothing seemed to matter in that moment. Not Nathan's rehab, Lucas's HCM, or the media firestorm. It was just the two of them, Nathan and Haley, and they were completely letting go.


	34. Chapter 33

**Thank you all for the reviews last chapter. To answer a popular question, I did not meet James. He actually looked like he was in a rush to get somewhere, and I really didn't want to bother him. Just seeing him up close was awesome enough. Also, someone asked about my other stories. I am actually working on the last chapter of _Feeling a Moment_ right now, but I've decided to post it after IY is complete. There are about fourteen chapters left in this story. As for _Leave the Pieces_, I honestly have not even started writing that yet. I have an outline, but my time to write has been really limited lately. My life is really hectic right now, and I'm just feeling wiped out. But I will try my best to keep updating and working on my stories. **

**On that note, I hope you like this next chapter. Some of you were wondering how Lucas is handling his loss, and you'll see how he's dealing with it in this chapter. There are some big things ahead. So please read and review!**

* * *

**Chapter 33 **

Nathan had just started to fall asleep when a loud ringing pierced the silence of the bedroom. He jumped at the sound and let go of Haley to turn around and reach for his cell phone on the nightstand.

"Who is it?" Haley asked, her voice thick with sleep.

Nathan turned on his bedside lamp and looked at his phone. "It's my mom." He quickly accepted the call. "Mom, what's the matter?" Receiving a call this late at night was never a good thing.

"Nathan, honey, I'm at Tric. I'm okay, so don't get worried."

"But something is wrong," he assumed.

"I called because Lucas is here at the bar. He's really drunk, Nathan, and is kind of making a scene," Deb explained. "Karen's not working tonight, and I really don't want to call her. She'd be really upset if she saw Lucas like this. I don't know what to do."

Nathan rubbed a hand over his face. "Mom, I'm coming to get him. Just keep an eye on him until I get there."

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

"What happened? Where are you going?" Haley questioned as he got out of bed to get dressed.

"I have to head over to Tric. Lucas is there, and he's drunk. I have to go get him before he gets into trouble."

"I'll come with you."

"No. It's late. I want you to stay here."

"Nathan—" she tried to protest.

"Please, Haley. If you want, I can call you when I get him home. Unless you're sleeping then—"

"No, I don't care. I want you to call me," Haley urged. "I'll be up all night worrying if you don't."

Nathan slipped into a pair of jeans and a dark blue polo shirt. He grabbed his wallet off of the nightstand, along with his phone.

"Be careful," Haley said.

He leaned down and pecked her on the lips. "I will. Try and get some sleep." She needed her rest more than ever now. Nathan didn't want Haley to suffer, because his brother was at Tric acting like an idiot.

Haley watched him leave and shook her head. Sleep was the last thing on her mind.

* * *

Nathan entered Tric and searched for his mom. He hadn't seen the club since it had been remodeled. The place was dark and packed with people, making it even harder to find her. Finally Nathan just pulled out his cell phone and called her. Deb said to go toward the bar; she'd meet him there.

Nathan spotted the bar rather quickly. Blue lights ran along the counter and ceiling, illuminating the area. He saw his mom and rushed over to her. "Where is he?" Nathan demanded. Deb pointed over to the right. Nathan's eyes followed the length of the bar all the way to the end. At first he didn't recognize Lucas. Instead of his usual full head of sandy blond hair, the sides were shaved with what looked like a Mohawk in the middle. He was also wearing sunglasses and seemed to be missing his shirt.

"Why is he shirtless?"

Deb shook her head. "I have no idea. He was dancing with some girls a while ago."

Nathan noticed the crowd around his brother now. It consisted mostly of women with short skirts and barely-there dresses. The girls were snapping pictures of themselves with Lucas on their camera phones. This was not good. His mother was right; Karen would have a fit if she saw Lucas like this.

"Damn it," Nathan muttered under his breath. He left his mother and walked over to Lucas and his groupies. "Lucas," Nathan had to call several times before his brother noticed him.

"Nathan!" Lucas exclaimed.

He pushed his way through the crowd. "What are you doing?"

"I'm having some drinks with my new friends," he slurred, making wild hand gestures. "Join us. Everyone, this is my little brother Nathan. Nathan, this is everyone."

Some of the women giggled while others eyed him appreciatively. Nathan ignored them. "Lucas, it's time to go."

Lucas laughed loudly. "But I'm not ready to go. Tell them to turn the lights back on."

"You're wearing sunglass," Nathan pointed out.

Lucas took them off and squinted at the light. "Oh, right. Good one, Nate."

"What the hell happened to your hair?"

"What's wrong with my hair?" Lucas asked in a panic and touched his head. There was a mirror over the bar. Lucas stared at his reflection. "Wow. That's cool."

"You look ridiculous," Nathan snapped.

"I think he looks hot," one of the women commented.

Nathan felt a hand on his arm.

"You're pretty hot, too," a brunette spoke up. "I've seen your games. You look like you have really strong hands."

A tall blonde with bright pink lips and big boobs added, "You know what they say about big hands." The others giggled. "It's actually always been a fantasy of mine to have two brothers."

"I'm married," Nathan said and held up his left hand. "And he's engaged."

The woman smiled seductively. "I can keep a secret."

Lucas busted out laughing like what she said was the funniest thing in the world. Nathan was losing his patience, fast. "Lucas, we're leaving. _Now_."

"I can't. I still have to dance with…who was I supposed to dance with?"

"I was next," a redhead chimed in.

"That's right." Lucas tried to get up and instead almost fell off of his stool. Nathan caught his arm and steadied him. "Let's go, Tracey."

"It's Stacey."

"I knew that."

"Lucas, I need to speak with you for a moment."

"Ow, man, you're hurting my arm," he complained as Nathan dragged him off to the side.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Lucas?" Nathan demanded. "Think about your reputation. What about your family? What about Brooke? Would you want them to see you like this?"

"I'm just having fun. I've had a shitty week."

"Getting drunk and acting like a jackass isn't the answer."

Lucas took him by the shoulders. "Lighten up, Nate. It's all good." He turned to his group of admirers. "Who wants another round of shots? On me!" The crowd cheered loudly. "See, they love me."

Nathan spotted his mother a few feet away. She looked concerned. He grabbed Lucas by the arm again and started to drag him toward the exit. "Fun's over. You've had enough."

"Ow, Nathan!" he whined. "You're fucking hurting me."

"And you're acting like a fucking teenager," Nathan bit back, not loosening his grip. Lucas was too drunk to even pull away. Nathan ignored the stares of the people around them. The women were also calling them to come back.

"Do you need any help?" Deb questioned when they reached her.

"No. I'm taking him home."

Deb nodded and told him to be careful on the road.

"Shit, it's cold," Lucas cursed as they left the club and the night air hit them.

"You wouldn't be cold if you had your shirt. What the hell happened to it?"

"I don't remember. I think I took it off while dancing. It got hot."

As Nathan helped Lucas get into the car, he saw a series of flashing lights. He cursed under his breath. It was the fucking paparazzi. Just what they needed.

"Nathan, Nathan!" they shouted. "Were you and your brother partying at the club tonight?"

"Lucas, is this what you're doing now that you're out of the NBA?"

"Where's your shirt? What's up with the new hairdo?" another reporter questioned.

Nathan pushed his way through them and hurriedly got into his car. He started the engine and sped away.

"I wish I had my sunglasses. I think I'm blind," Lucas mumbled.

"You do realize that that's going to be all over the papers tomorrow, right?" Nathan told him.

"I can't fucking see."

Nathan snorted and shook his head. His brother was in worse shape than he thought. His suspicions were confirmed when Nathan heard snoring a couple of minutes later. "Unbelievable."

Nathan woke Lucas up when they arrived at his house. He was unsteady on his feet, so Nathan had to keep him upright as they walked inside. He led Lucas to his room but had to make a detour to the bathroom first after his brother announced that he was going to puke. Nathan was unable to watch as his brother wretched into the toilet. It wasn't so much that he was grossed out. It was the fact that he'd never seen Lucas act like this. Nathan had usually been the drunken jackass. Sure, Lucas had gotten drunk and thrown up before, but he'd never been this bad. It was painful for Nathan to see his brother reduced to this.

When he was finished, Nathan led him into the bedroom. Lucas passed out cold as soon as his head hit the pillow. Nathan sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. He left the room and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, dialing his home number. Haley picked up after only two rings.

"Nathan, are you okay? How's Lucas?" Haley said in a rush.

"I'm fine. Lucas is drunk and sleeping it off right now. I think I'm going to stay the night. I don't want to leave him alone when he's like this."

"Okay. I'd rather you didn't drive this late anyway."

"Do you think you could stop over in the morning?" Nathan questioned.

"Sure."

"And bring the electric razor."

"Why?" She sounded confused.

Nathan stared at his brother and his whacky hair. "You'll see. Goodnight, Hales."

* * *

Nathan woke up early the next morning. He'd stayed in one of the guest rooms but hadn't gotten much sleep. He'd heard Lucas get up throughout the night and run to the bathroom. Sometimes Nathan would get up to help him. Other times he left him to fend for himself.

Nathan walked into the kitchen to make some coffee. His brother would need it when he got up. Before coming downstairs, Nathan had checked on him one more time. Lucas was still sleeping. Not having the chance to look around last night because he was too busy dealing with Lucas, Nathan surveyed the house. There were beer bottles and cans everywhere, along with empty bottles of hard liquor and wine. The house even had a funny smell to it.

"Lucas," Nathan sighed to himself, "what are you doing?"

When the coffee was finished, Nathan poured himself and Lucas a cup. Nathan took a few sips of his own before grabbing Lucas's mug and making his way upstairs again. He walked into Lucas's room. It was even messier than the downstairs. Clothes were strewn across the floor and on the furniture. A few food wrappers were scattered about. Brooke would have a fit if she were home.

"Lucas," Nathan said loudly. He shook him a little. "Lucas."

Lucas groaned as his eyes fluttered open. "Where am I?"

"You're home."

He put a hand to his head and groaned. "Ugh, what's with the killer headache?"

"You drank too much last night."

Lucas groaned again. "I think you're right."

"Of course I am. Now get up and drink this." Nathan placed the mugs on the bedside table and went to open the window shades, letting the bright morning light shine in.

"Go away," Lucas muttered and placed his pillow over his head.

Nathan also opened the window. "Dude, you look like shit. And it seriously smells like ass in here."

Lucas sat up. "I said go away. Ow." He clutched his head again.

"Here, drink this." Nathan handed him the coffee.

"Thanks," he mumbled and took a large sip.

"Do you remember anything that happened last night?"

"Not particularly. Maybe a couple of images here and there." Lucas ran his hands over his head and froze when he felt his hair. "What the—" He stood up to look at himself in the mirror. "Holy crap. I have a Mohawk."

"I guess you didn't remember that. You also threw up about six times last night."

His face contorted. "I think that I remember."

"What is going on with you, Lucas? Going out and partying, getting drunk, and flirting with other women…that's not you."

"It was just one night."

"Then why is the downstairs filled with empty beer cans and liquor bottles?" Nathan challenged. "That didn't look like a one-time deal."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Then tell me. Or are you going to avoid me some more?"

"I've been busy."

"Yeah, I can see that. Getting drunk and acting like an ass is really hard work and a great use of your time."

"It's what you used to do," he shot back.

"'Used to' being the key words there," Nathan emphasized. "As in I don't do that stupid shit anymore."

"Nathan, back off. I'm not in the mood."

"Lucas—"

"I said shut up!" Lucas shouted.

Someone cleared their throat. They both turned to see Haley standing in the doorway. "I wasn't sure if you guys were sleeping. The door was unlocked, so I came in." She took a second to survey the scene in front of her before honing in on Lucas's hair. "Whoa. What did you do to your hair, Luke?"

"Don't ask," Lucas grumbled.

Haley reached into her purse and pulled out the electric razor Nathan told her to bring. "Well, I guess I know why I needed to bring this." Nathan shot her an "I told you so" look. Haley's eyes were questioning, but he shook his head, letting her know he'd tell her everything later.

"Luke, why don't we go into the kitchen? I'll fix your hair down there," Haley suggested. Her nose scrunched up. "What is that smell? It's like…bad cheese."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "Let's just get this over with." He walked past her and into the hallway.

Haley waited for Nathan to approach her. "I'm sure you can see that he's not in the best mood today," he said.

"Yeah, that's pretty obvious."

Nathan kissed her and brought her into a hug. "Are you feeling okay today? If not then you didn't have to come. I'll just drive you home."

Haley smiled. Every day Nathan would check to make sure she was feeling all right and if there was anything she needed him to do. He was so sweet. "No, I'm okay."

"You look tired," he noticed and caressed her cheek.

"I didn't get much sleep."

"Yeah, me neither." He pressed his lips to hers once more.

"Are you guys coming or what?" Lucas shouted from downstairs.

"Duty calls," Haley said and led the way. She had Lucas sit at the kitchen table. She plugged the razor into the wall and started to shave off the rest of his hair that was sticking up. Neither Lucas nor Nathan said anything in the meantime. The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a knife.

"There," Haley said, finished. "That's better."

Lucas ran a hand over his fully buzzed head. "Thanks."

"Um, Lucas, I have to ask." Haley bit her lip nervously. "Did you hook up with anyone last night at the club?"

"No. Why would you say that?"

"Has your agent called you at all today?"

"My cell phone's been off." Nathan could sense that Haley knew something that she wasn't telling them. She had that unsure and worried look on her face.

"Hales, what's going on?" he prodded.

Haley fiddled with her wedding ring before reaching into her purse. She placed the magazines on the table. "I had to stop at the store before coming here. I saw these while I was there."

Nathan looked them over and was instantly filled with a feeling of dread. Each tabloid cover had a picture of Lucas. One was of a shirtless Lucas dancing with girls at Tric. Another cover was of him with the girls, doing shots at the bar. The third magazine had both Lucas and Nathan on the cover. It was when Nathan was taking him home. Each headline mentioned something about girls, booze, and sex. One headline in particular caught is eye. It said: "Lucas Scott: The beginning of the end?"

"Shit," Nathan cursed under his breath. He glanced over at his brother. Lucas was silent as he looked at the magazines. His face was completely stoic. Nathan's cell phone rang. It was Clay calling him. Nathan let him go to voicemail. He had to deal with his brother first. "I told you this would happen."

"It's just gossip. It'll blow over," Lucas said but didn't sound all that confident.

"Not when you're acting like Lindsay Lohan. The press eats this stuff up, Luke. Everyone's already talking about you leaving the NBA. This just adds fuel to the fire."

"It was one night."

"And that's all it took. Look at the mess you've made."

"Can you not give me a lecture right now?" Lucas snapped. "You don't have a fucking clue about what I'm going through. So just mind your own damn business."

"I was at risk for HCM, too, Luke. And I have an injured knee. I think I have some idea."

"No, you don't. Because you still have your career. Mine is down the toilet, okay? You don't have HCM, and your knee will heal. So don't even try to compare yourself to me. Your life is perfect, and mine is fucked."

"It's not your fault that you have HCM, Luke."

"No, it's that son of a bitch father of ours. I'm glad that he's dead, because if he wasn't I'd kill him myself."

"Lucas," Haley chided. She wasn't a fan of Dan Scott either, but she didn't like the way Lucas was talking. He sounded so cold-hearted and malicious. It's like Haley didn't even recognize him anymore.

"You don't have to be like this, Lucas. You're only hurting yourself by pushing everyone away. Your mom is going to freak when she sees these," Nathan told him. "And what about Brooke? You don't think she's going to be hurt after seeing these photos of you with these women?"

"We're not together anymore," Lucas retorted.

"That's bullshit, and you know it," Nathan called him out. "You still love her, and she loves you. You're betraying her by acting like this."

"I'm betraying her?" he replied incredulously and stood up. His voice rose to a shout. "She ruined me! She's the one who told. I could've still been in the NBA if she hadn't called my coach. I could've finished out the rest of the season with my team."

"She was worried about you, Lucas," Haley spoke up. "She was terrified that you'd get hurt."

"If you're in agreement with her, then why are you here, Haley? Maybe you should go kiss Brooke's ass instead of wasting your time on me."

"Hey," Nathan intervened. "Don't talk to her like that." It was one thing for Lucas to yell at him. Yelling at Haley, however, was crossing a line.

"I can say whatever the hell I want. These women are all the same. They're nothing but a bunch of vindictive, manipulative whores who'll do nothing but suck the life out of you. Get out while you can, Nathan. That's my advice," Lucas declared. "Although, I guess in your case you're stuck. Maybe you should've thought twice before you knocked her up."

That was it. As soon as the words left Lucas's mouth, something inside Nathan snapped. It didn't take long for him to close the distance between himself and his brother. Nathan punched him square in the jaw without even thinking twice.

"Nathan," Haley shouted and rushed toward him. She was so afraid this would turn into a major fist fight. She grabbed Nathan's arm and yanked him back.

Lucas, meanwhile, was sprawled out on the floor, clutching his face.

"Don't you ever talk about my family like that," Nathan retorted. His breathing was hard and his stare irate, but his voice was dangerously calm. "Or next time I'll really lay your ass out on this floor—brother or not."

A cynical smile formed on Lucas's face. "Trust me, there won't be a next time. You can go now."

"Yeah, I am going. Do whatever the fuck you want, Lucas. This version of you isn't even worth helping." Nathan took Haley's hand in his and led her to the door.

Only Haley looked back. Tears formed in her eyes when she saw Lucas not even try to get up. This man wasn't her brother-in-law and best friend. This man was lost and broken. Completely unrecognizable. A stranger. What killed Haley even more was that Lucas was spiraling down further into the darkness, and there was nothing they could do to save him.


	35. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

**_May 8, 2012_**

****"Sit down," Haley told Nathan as she went to the freezer to get some ice. They were home. Neither had said anything in the car on their way back. They had sat in silence, both thinking about what had just happened with Lucas.

Haley grabbed an ice pack and brought it to Nathan in the living room. "Here. It'll help with the swelling." She placed it on his hand, and he flinched. "Sorry."

Nathan looked down at his fist and sighed. He couldn't believe he'd punched his brother. They hadn't gotten into a fight that bad since they were in high school and had hated each other. Nathan hadn't meant to get physical with Lucas. He wasn't even thinking straight when he did it. All he knew was that Lucas had crossed a line by insulting Haley. Nathan's temper had taken care of the rest.

Haley rubbed his back and leaned her chin against Nathan's shoulder. "Do you want to tell me what's going on in that head of yours right now?"

"This is all so screwed up."

"What happened to Lucas, it's not your fault."

"You know, I thought I had it bad when I tore my ACL. When I heard about Dan's heart condition, it made my injury seem like nothing. At least my knee can heal. But a heart disease like that, it'll never go away," Nathan said in a low voice. "There was a one-in-two chance that I could've had it, Hales. It could've been me."

"I know," she replied softly.

"I'm a horrible person."

"No, you're not. You were just trying to help Lucas. Punching him may not have been the best way to handle it, but it's not like Lucas was without fault either. You're a good brother, Nathan."

"If I'm such a good brother, then why is it that when I look at Lucas, I thank God that it wasn't me?"

Haley could see right through him. The guilt Nathan felt about being spared was slowly eating away at him. She felt her heart break and did her best to soothe him. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"It's awful. Don't try to make me feel better."

"Hey, look at me." She brought her hand to his cheek and turned his face toward hers. "It's perfectly normal to feel that way, Nathan. Just because you didn't end up having HCM doesn't mean that you didn't have a right to be scared. Or the right to feel relieved when you found out that you were fine. You're only human."

Nathan looked away and shook his head. "It's just that Lucas is supposed to be the rock. He's always been the stable one. Seeing him so angry and bitter, it reminds me so much of my father when I was growing up. He knew just the right buttons to push, too."

"You've been through a lot," Haley acknowledged. "And you've come a long way. But I don't want to see you beat yourself up over this, Nathan. I don't. Lucas is a grown man, capable of making his own decisions. Granted, he's not exactly making good ones right now, but it's his life. No one can live it for him. The only thing you can do is let him grieve and be angry while you follow your own path."

"I don't understand how you're so calm about this right now. You heard what he said. Aren't you angry?"

An image of Lucas on the floor before they left his house flashed into her mind. She answered honestly, "I'm upset and maybe a little hurt by what he said, but I know deep down that Lucas didn't mean any of it. He's lashing out. Until he comes to terms with everything, there is nothing we can do but pray for him."

Nathan leaned in to kiss her lovingly on the lips. "You're amazing. You know that?" His wife was great at giving advice. Her constant love and kindness toward others never ceased to astound him.

"I know, but that doesn't mean I don't like hearing it every once in a while," she teased.

He grinned and kissed her once more. "Thanks, Hales."

She stroked his cheek. "You're welcome. Now go do something to keep yourself busy. I don't want you sulking today."

"Where are you going?" Nathan questioned with a frown. "I thought we could spend the day together. Maybe go shopping for some stuff for the baby."

Haley's eyebrow quirked at that. "Am I hearing things or did my husband actually suggest that we go shopping?"

"For the baby," he specified. "That does not include girly stores. Unless you want to stop by Victoria's Secret to get something sexy for me later. I'll make an exception for that."

Haley rolled her eyes, laughing. "Oh, you're such a gentleman."

"That's me," he beamed and drew her in for a searing kiss. He couldn't help but smile at the whimpering sound Haley made when his tongue seductively stroked hers. Haley was breathless by the time he pulled away.

"As tempting as that sounds"—She really, really wanted to stay—"I can't go right now. I'm heading over to Brooke's. I don't know if she's seen those magazines yet, but she's going to need all of the support she can get when she does."

"Sure, I understand. Go." Nathan felt awful for Brooke. She'd never done anything but love and take care of his brother. She didn't deserve any of this bullshit, either.

"I don't know when I'll be back, but I'll call you."

"Take as much time as you need. I'll play some NBA Live or do some rehab in the pool."

"Wait, don't you have rehab later today with Marcus?"

"Oh, that's right," Nathan suddenly remembered. This whole weird day was throwing him off. "Don't forget to go. You know how important it is."

"I won't forget. I promise."

"All right. I'll see you later."

He kissed her goodbye and watched her leave. Afterward, Nathan turned on his Play Station. He was going to do what Haley said and keep busy. Because if he thought about Lucas or Dan any more today, he was going to start feeling depressed himself.

* * *

As soon as Peyton answered Brooke's door with that gloomy expression on her face, Haley knew that whatever was waiting inside wasn't good. Haley didn't say anything but gave Peyton a questioning look. The blonde stepped aside to let Haley peek in. Brooke was sitting on the couch with her head in her hands, crying. Haley's heart tugged at the sight.

"How long has she been like that?"

Peyton came to stand outside and shut the door behind her. Haley's guess was that she didn't want Brooke overhearing them. "Over an hour. She's a wreck."

"Poor Brooke," Haley muttered.

"Where have you been all morning? I could've used some help with Brooke." Peyton sounded more tired than annoyed.

"Nathan spent the night at Lucas's. I had to go over there and help with some stuff."

"Does he really have a Mohawk?" Peyton inquired.

"Oh yeah. I had to shave his head to get rid of it."

"I'm sure Brooke will appreciate that. You know, I think she noticed his bad hairdo even before the girls around him."

Haley cracked a small smile. "Sounds like Brooke. So she's seen the magazines?"

"She's got a few stacks of them in the house. I guess she bought as many as she could find. She wanted them off of the shelves."

"We better get inside." Haley didn't want to leave Brooke alone for too long. She and Peyton walked over to the couch and sat on either side of the brunette. Haley put her arm around her as Peyton grabbed Brooke's hand.

"It's okay, Brooke," Haley soothed. "We're here."

"H-how could he d-do this to me?" she sobbed and picked up one of the magazines on the table. "I mean, I know we called off the e-e-engagement and b-broke up, but I n-never thought h-he'd go out and hook up with random b-bimbos. Did I mean nothing to him?" Brooke was crying so hard that it was difficult to make out her words.

"He didn't hook up with anyone," Haley told her. She didn't want to add that she'd seen Lucas this morning. If Brooke ever saw what Haley had, she'd be even more hysterical.

Brooke whacked the magazine. "Look at this picture, Haley. Have you seen this? He's surrounded by these whores. And where the hell is his shirt?"

"I know that it looks bad, but I promise that Lucas didn't go with any of them. Deb called Nathan last night, and he picked up Lucas from Tric and brought him home."

"And what if Nathan wasn't there? What then?"

"Brooke, don't make yourself sick over fake scenarios," Peyton advised. "Nothing happened. That's all that matters."

"Nathan won't always be there. It's obvious that Lucas is into the party scene now." Brooke's cell phone rang. She quickly picked it up and clicked _ignore_. "It's my mother—again. I'm sure she just can't wait to say 'I told you so.' She never approved of me and Lucas—the bitch. Everyone knows it's over now. My poor assistant has been bombarded with calls from the media all morning, and my publicist is working overtime."

"Brooke—"

"No. It's over. I mean really over. I kept thinking that eventually Lucas would come to his senses and realize I did what had to be done. That I only did it because I loved him. Then we could get back together and work through it all. But what he's doing now, it's nothing but a slap in my face. It's over. I'm done," she exclaimed.

Haley and Peyton exchanged concerned looks.

"Brooke, you're really upset right now," Peyton said carefully. "Don't make any snap judgments or decisions."

"I'm not. I can't be with a man who will throw away an eight-year relationship all for some stupid game. It's obvious that our relationship never meant as much to him as it did to me."

"That's not true, Brooke," Peyton disagreed. "Lucas loved you. He still does. He's just very angry and confused right now."

"So you're siding with him?"

"No, of course not. He's being a total ass. But that doesn't mean that your entire relationship meant nothing. Don't you be so quick to throw it away, either."

"Peyton's right, Brooke. Cry, be angry, and let all of your frustration and pain out. But don't forget the good times that you and Lucas had. You should always keep them with you," Haley said. "Because one day Lucas is going to wake up and realize what a great woman he's let slip through his fingers. And he's going to do everything he can to get you back."

"What if I don't want him back?" Brooke challenged.

"Then that's ultimately up to you," she replied. "But one of your greatest strengths is your heart, Brooke, and how loyal you are to the ones you love. Don't lose that—for anything."

Brooke sniffled and dabbed at her wet, puffy red eyes with a tissue. She picked up a different magazine. It was one Haley hadn't seen yet. The cover had a picture of Brooke and Lucas at a red carpet event. They were holding each other and sharing in a quick, loving kiss. In between them was a jagged line, splitting the image in half. The cover read "Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott Call It Quits. How her betrayal caused his downward spiral…see details inside."

Brooke sighed sadly. "For once, I think the press got it right."

* * *

"I think you're ready."

"Really?"

Haley glanced over the practice exam that she'd just graded. "Yes. You did great on this. I just know you're going to ace your final exams next week. I also spoke with your teachers, and they all agreed to let you take your exams here in the Tutoring Center."

Jack was just starting to deal with his test anxiety. He still found it difficult to be in the same room as other students during an exam. It didn't matter if the teacher gave him extra time. Jack would feel weird being the last student in the classroom. He worried that the other students would be aware of his problem, which made him that much more stressed.

"Thanks, Mrs. Scott."

"No problem. Did you sign up for that summer program I told you about?" Haley questioned. She'd done some research online and found a student resource center in Tree Hill that helped students like Jack deal with their various learning disabilities. Haley had suggested to Jack that he give it a try. Hopefully, he'd be able to gain more control over his anxiety before school started up in the fall.

"Yeah. I figured it couldn't hurt."

"Good. I know they'll be able to help you."

"I hope so. I just want to be like everyone else, you know?"

"There's nothing wrong with being you, Jack. We all have our fears. It's all about how you handle them."

"What's your fear?" Jack asked curiously.

"Clowns."

He busted out laughing. "Are you serious?"

"Oh yeah. I hate them," Haley told him with a shudder. "They always have that creepy makeup and those hideous outfits. You never really know who's under there."

"I never thought about them like that." Jack grinned and said teasingly, "Thanks. I think I have a new phobia."

"Don't even go there." She checked her watch. "Speaking of going, our time is up."

"Okay." Jack got his things together. "I'll see you Friday?"

"Yes. We'll go over your study guides and make sure you're ready for those exams."

"Cool." Jack put his backpack over his shoulder and looked toward the door. Haley followed his gaze and noticed Sam standing in the doorway. She waved to Jack, who seemed to blush when he saw Haley watching him.

"I see you and Sam have gotten friendly," Haley observed.

"Uh, yeah. She's helping me with English, and I'm helping her with history. It was a good idea to partner us up."

"I thought it might help." Haley concealed a satisfied smile. Something was definitely going on between the two.

"I'll see you later."

"Bye." Haley waved to Sam, who waved back before leaving with Jack. Quentin entered the Tutoring Center right after them.

"Hey, Mrs. S," he greeted.

"Hi, Quentin. Just give me one second." Haley got up to put away Jack's file and grab Quentin's. She returned to the table.

"What are we working on today?" He pulled out his books and notebooks.

Haley didn't hide her smile this time. Quentin had come a long way these past few months. Instead of trying to fight her every step of the way, he actually seemed eager to learn and do well now. His grades had improved immensely during this last quarter. Haley was very proud of him. She just wished she'd be able to see if he kept it up next year. Haley would be disappointed if he returned to his old bad habits in the fall. Quentin was finally living up to his potential. All of her tutees were. She'd love to stay and help them during their senior year. She'd grown rather attached to them. They were all wonderful and talented kids when given a chance. Haley would surely miss them when she and Nathan had to go back to Seattle.

"Mrs. S, are you okay?" Quentin inquired as she retook her seat.

Haley cleared her mind of thoughts of Seattle and leaving Tree Hill. She hadn't realized that her emotions were so plainly written on her face. Now was not the time to dwell on it. She had enough difficult things to deal with in her life.

* * *

"So, have you talked to Lucas at all lately?"

Nathan cringed at Whitey's question. He'd hoped that he could get away with not talking about his brother while they reviewed game tapes and plans for the team next year. Leave it to Whitey to be blunt. "I'm assuming you've seen the tabloids recently."

"Yes. But I figure I'll hear the truth from you."

"I haven't talked to Lucas in a week. And the last time we did talk, it didn't end so well."

"What happened?"

"I'd rather not get into it." Nathan nodded to the screen. "Let's just finish watching the game tapes."

Whitey opened up his desk drawer and pulled out a magazine. Lucas, of course, was on the cover. He was at some other bar and looked totally hammered. "It says in here that Lucas is out drinking and partying to all hours of the night."

Nathan kept his gaze on the TV. "He probably is."

"It says he's having a mental breakdown as a result of his ruined career. He's cut himself off from family and friends. A source close to him says that the two of you are fighting."

Nathan doubted that the so-called "source" was actually real. Most of the time magazines just said that to cover up what they'd made up themselves. The fact that it reported they were fighting—which, unfortunately, was true—was nothing more than a coincidence. "I never took you as the type to follow celeb gossip, Whitey."

"I usually don't. But when it comes to two of my former players whom I care about, I tend to take an interest. What happened between you and Lucas, Nathan?"

Nathan sighed loudly and sat up in his chair. Whitey wasn't going to drop it until he got an answer. "I hit him."

"Talk about tough love," Whitey muttered.

"I didn't mean to. I picked up Lucas from Tric last week, because he was making an ass out of himself. The next morning he was acting like a jerk, and I tried to reason with him," Nathan recounted. "He wouldn't hear anything I had to say. Then he said something insulting about Haley. I lost it, and then I punched him. We haven't talked since."

"Sounds like he was trying to make you just as angry as he is."

"Yeah, well, it worked. And he got his other wish. I'm going to leave him alone."

"Are you sure that's what you should do?"

"It's obvious you think differently."

Whitey chuckled lowly. "I was trying to be subtle."

Nathan paused the game tape. "Subtle is not your specialty. Go ahead. Just tell me."

"I think you should still try to help your brother. I know he says he wants to be left alone, but I'm sure it's the opposite of what he really feels. If anything, Lucas needs to know right now that someone still believes in him," Whitey advised. "He'll find his way back eventually."

Nathan leaned back in his seat, once again. It's not like he hadn't thought about what Whitey had just said. Nathan couldn't stop thinking about Lucas all week. He'd be in the middle of rehab or going over the Ravens' game book when his brother would suddenly pop into his mind. Nathan would wonder how Lucas was doing and what he was up to. Then he'd see a magazine or the news reporting on his brother's latest blunder, and Nathan would question his decision to stay away all over again. Nathan wanted to help Lucas. He did. But what could he honestly accomplish if Lucas wasn't willing to help himself?

"Just be there for him. That's all I'm saying," Whitey concluded. He grabbed the remote control from Nathan and turned the game tape back on. "Oh, I almost forgot."

Nathan frowned when Whitey paused the footage again. "What is it?"

"I'm going to start the search for my replacement this summer. I was wondering if you'd like to help me."

"Really?"

"Sure. I think I could use your insight. You've been where those kids are now. I want someone who will be able to coach them on more than how to improve their scoring average."

"You mean like you did with me?" Nathan replied, nudging him.

Whitey shook his head, laughing. "You were a pain in my ass, Scott."

"Hey, we both know that you liked to yell at me."

"I did not."

"Yes, you did. You liked to yell at me, and I liked to make you yell."

"Well, if you'd listened to me in the first place, you knucklehead—" Whitey began before Nathan busted out laughing.

"See. I told you."

"Shut up, Scott, before I change my mind." He rolled his eyes and pushed _Play_. A knock sounded on the door a few seconds later.

"Hey," Haley greeted from the doorway. "Is everything okay? I thought I heard yelling."

Whitey narrowed his eyes at Nathan but smiled at Haley. "It's fine. Nathan here was just being a smartass."

"He does have a knack for it."

"Hey!" Nathan protested in mock outrage.

"Aw, you know we love you, honey," she teased and came to sit beside him.

"What are you doing here, Hales? Don't you have tutoring?"

"I finished early and thought I'd come bother you guys for a while."

"You could never be a bother—unlike this one."

"Again with the picking on me. I'm the real victim here," Nathan declared.

Haley patted Nathan's shoulder in fake sympathy and motioned to the TV. "So, what are you guys up to?"

"We're looking over game tapes," Whitey answered.

"We're trying to figure out a plan for next year. It'll be good for the team and help out the new coach," Nathan added.

"That's right. You're retiring this year. It's so sad."

"Now don't get all weepy on me. I've coached for over thirty-five years and like all good things, it must come to an end."

"The team is going to miss you."

"Nah. I'm sure they can't wait to get rid of this old geezer," he joked. "Besides, it's time to pass the reigns onto someone else."

"Do you know who yet?"

"No, but Nathan here is going to help me."

"That's nice. But I don't care what you say, Whitey, these boys are going to miss you," Haley declared. "And you're going to miss them."

Whitey smiled. "That may be true."

"It's too bad we couldn't get that last championship for you," Nathan spoke up. There was a hint of regret in his voice.

"I already got my championship thanks to you and that brother of yours." He slapped Nathan's shoulder and added with a humorous grin. "Another one simply would've gone to my head."

"Well, good luck," Haley told him. She reached into her purse and grabbed a book. "You guys can continue with your strategizing. I'll just read until you finish."

"You sure? I can take you home, Hales."

"No, I'm fine. I'm getting to the good part in this anyway. I won't even know either of you are here in another minute or two," she teased.

"Well, before you disappear on us, I have something to give you." Whitey stood up and walked over to the closet. He pulled out a rectangular box with ribbon tied around it.

"What's that?" Nathan questioned.

"I figure with school ending next week that I wouldn't be seeing much of you, Haley. I wanted to give this to the both of you while I still had the chance." He handed the box to her.

"Whitey, you didn't have to get us anything," Haley replied.

"Just open it."

Haley untied the ribbon and lifted the top. Her eyes started to water when she saw the light blue, crocheted blanket inside. "Wow. This is beautiful."

"My wife Camilla made that when we decided to have kids. She made a blue one, because she always wanted a boy. It turned out that kids were never in the cards for us. I know she would've wanted you to have it instead. I'm sure you'll put it to good use."

"We will. Thank you, Whitey. I love it."

"Thanks, Coach," Nathan said sincerely. The gesture meant a lot to him. He was sure that Whitey would've passed it down to his own kids if he'd had any.

Haley stood up and hugged him. She also gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Much to Nathan's amusement, Whitey seemed to be blushing.

"You're welcome." Whitey appeared both touched and a little embarrassed by the emotional moment. He sat back in his chair and elbowed Nathan to look at the screen. He was all business again. "Now, back to work, Scott. We haven't got all day."

Nathan did as he said, not even bothering to hide his grin.


	36. Chapter 35

**Hey guys, thanks for the reviews last chapter. I always look forward to reading your comments. This next chapter isn't that long and is more of a transition into what's coming up. But I hope you like it anyway. You'll see more of Naley preparing for the baby, and I promise that this won't be the last of that. Please read and review!**

* * *

**Chapter 35**

**_May 17, 2012_**

"Honey, do you want me to call Keith?"

Nathan squinted at the pieces of wood and screws strewn across the floor before him. He looked back at the directions in his hands and frowned. They might as well have been written in Chinese for all of the sense they made. "Where the hell is G?" he mumbled to himself. "And how does it attach to F?"

"Nathan," Haley said.

"What?"

She repeated, "Do you want me to call Keith? He'll come over and help you if you're confused."

"I'm fine, Haley. I can handle this."

Haley rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. They'd finally found a crib they liked for the baby. They'd bought it yesterday and were putting it together. At least Nathan was _trying_ to put it together. In Haley's opinion, he was just making a bigger mess. "Well, I hope you're doing it right because I don't want our baby sleeping in a death trap."

"Hales, trust me. I know what I'm doing." He opened up the instructions again and started reading.

Haley didn't take it as a good sign when his frown returned. Knowing better than to say anything else—there was no reasoning with him when he was like this—Haley went back downstairs to finish having lunch with Peyton. "So, is he still insisting on doing it himself?"

"Yup."

Peyton laughed. "Maybe you should call Keith anyway. He can just lie and say that he was on his way over anyway for a visit."

"Like that isn't obvious."

"Hey, this is your baby's safety we're talking about. I love Nathan, but he was never the handy type."

Haley bit her lip as she sipped some of her iced tea. "Well, maybe I should—" Peyton's cell phone rang, interrupting her.

"Sorry." Peyton flipped it open. "Hello…hi, Jake. What's up?"

Haley watched as the expression on Peyton's face went from happy to confused. "What?" Haley mouthed silently. Peyton didn't answer and instead stood up. She walked out of the kitchen and into the foyer. Haley heard the door opening and then laughter.

"Oh my God!" Peyton exclaimed.

Haley got up to see what all of the commotion was about. A huge smile formed on her face when she saw Peyton standing in the doorway, locked in a tight embrace with Jake. "Jake!" Haley said in surprise.

"Hey, Haley." He broke away from Peyton and gave her a hug.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was lonely in L.A. without my girl, so I decided to come visit her. I also wanted to see everyone else."

"I can't believe you came here without telling me," Peyton said and gave him a playful whack on the arm.

"Is that good or bad?"

"Good." She leaned in to kiss him. "Definitely good."

"Come on in. Are you hungry? We were just finishing up lunch," Haley told him.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. I already ate. I dropped my stuff off at Peyton's house. Her dad made me something before I came here."

"So you two were in on this together, huh?"

Jake shrugged innocently. "Maybe."

"I'm glad. It's so good to see you, Jake," Haley gushed. "We all missed you."

"I missed you guys, too. Where's Nathan?"

"He's upstairs. Actually, it's a miracle that you're here. Nathan is trying to put together the baby's crib."

"Uh-oh," he said knowingly.

"Yeah. He's refusing to ask for help. So maybe you can go up, say hi, and maybe offer to lend a hand?"

"Sure," he chuckled. "No problem."

"Thank you. You just saved our baby's life," Haley joked.

"Then it is a good thing I came."

"The room is at the top of the stairs to the right."

"Got it."

"We'll be right up," Peyton called after him. "We just have to clean up."

"Oh, Peyton, I can do that," Haley said.

"No, I want to help."

Haley sent her a thankful smile as they made fast work of cleaning the kitchen. When they were finished, she grabbed two beers for the guys and followed Peyton upstairs. They entered the nursery to see Nathan and Jake talking. When Nathan noticed them, he stood next to the crib with a proud smile.

"Hales, look. It's finished."

"Wow, it is." She tried to hide the skepticism in her voice.

"I told you I could do it by myself."

Haley exchanged a look with Peyton and Jake, who were both trying to hide their smiles. "And it's safe?"

"Of course it is. This thing is as sturdy as a rock. Nothing could tear this thing down," Nathan proclaimed and rested against the railing. Before any of them could react, there was a loud creaking sound. Screws popped out as the wooden pieces pulled apart and fell to the ground. Nathan had to catch himself before he fell along with it. Haley put her hand to her mouth as she examined the mess. So much for the crib being safe.

"Um, Nathan…"

"Not a word, Hales. Not a word," Nathan warned as he surveyed the damage. He cursed under his breath. All that work he'd done was for nothing. He thought he'd finally put the crib together the right way.

"I don't really have to say anything. That thing collapsed faster than the Soviet Union during the Cold War."

Nathan stared at her, not laughing.

"I can help you put it back together," Jake offered. "I'm good with stuff like this."

"I'd take him up on his offer, Nate, if I were you," Peyton commented, no longer hiding her amusement. "You don't want another cave-in."

"We brought beers for you guys while you work," Haley added before Nathan could protest Jake's help.

Peyton glanced at the dilapidated crib and grinned widely. "You're going to need them."

* * *

Nathan sighed as he passed Jake another screw and piece of wood. He was a professional basketball player. He could shoot a ball from halfway across the court with his eyes closed, but he couldn't put together one crib? How messed up was that?

Jake was doing most of the work now. All Nathan did was pass him the parts and tools that he needed when he asked for them. He was just glad that Haley and Peyton had decided to tan and go swimming for a while in the backyard. Nathan could just picture them teasing him while Jake worked.

"Don't sweat it, man," Jake said, picking up on Nathan's frustration. "These things are harder to put together than they look. It happens."

"Thanks, but let's face it. I suck when it comes to putting stuff together and using tools."

"To each is own."

"So, how long will you be staying in Tree Hill?"

"Why? Do you need help putting together the changing table next?" Jake teased.

Nathan groaned. "I forgot about that."

"I can do that, too. I'll be here for a week. Maybe longer."

"You don't know?"

Jake glanced at the door and lowered his voice, "I didn't only come here to see, Peyton."

"Then why did you? Does it have something to do with work?"

"You can kind of say that. I have a job interview on Monday with a law firm that's here in Tree Hill."

"I heard you were having some problems at the one you're at now."

"Yeah, I am. It's a family business, so the son thinks that gives him a free pass to slack off. I get stuck doing double the work all of the time. I'm really starting to hate it there now," Jake explained. "Peyton and I have been talking about leaving L.A. I know that she would like to move back here. If I can do well in the interview and get the job, then we can finally go through with our plans instead of just talking about them. But keep just keep this between you and me. I don't want to tell her anything until I'm sure."

"Sure, no problem. Your secret is safe with me." The pair bumped fists. "I hope you do get it. It'd be nice to have you and Peyton around."

"I'll be a lot closer to my family in Savannah, too. And I want Peyton to focus on her art. Now that she left the record company, she can put all of her energy into that."

"I hope it all works out for you guys."

"What about you and Haley? What have you been up to?"

"Well, in between rehabbing my knee, I've been helping my old basketball coach with the Ravens. Now that the season and school is almost over, I'm going to help him find a replacement."

"He's retiring."

"Yeah. It's kind of weird, because Whitey has been doing it for so long. I don't know if they'll ever find someone as dedicated as he was. The team deserves someone great for next season."

"What about Haley? Is she still tutoring?"

"Yup. She's almost done, too. I'm kind of glad. I want her to relax more. She just entered her third trimester. We started the childbirth class two weeks ago."

"The last time I saw her was at Christmas."

"In case you haven't noticed, she's changed just a little since then," Nathan joked, grinning.

Jake laughed and shook his head. "Thanks for pointing that out. I couldn't see it."

Nathan passed Jake another piece of the crib. "No problem."

"I'm afraid to ask, but how has Lucas been doing? I've seen the stuff they've been printing in the tabloids."

"Yeah, you and everyone else."

"Is it as bad as they say?"

"I haven't read them, but Lucas isn't doing well—that I know of. I haven't talked to him in a week. We got into a fight, and I'd decided to just step back and let him do what he wants. Now I'm starting to wonder if I should try again with him. I mean, he's my brother. He's always been there for me."

"If you want, I could go with you next time you visit him," Jake offered.

"I have to warn you, he can be kind of…abrasive. He's not like his usual self."

"I figured, but I'd still like to see him. He's always been there for me, too."

"Okay. I'll let you know." Nathan was glad to have Jake around. He was always a nice guy who was willing to help others. He hadn't changed since college, which Nathan was thankful for.

"Can you pass me that last piece and the screw? This thing is almost done."

Nathan did as Jake instructed and watched him attach the last part of the crib. It was just then that Peyton and Haley walked into the room.

"You guys are done," Haley said. She walked over to inspect the crib. She ran her hands along its railings and shook one. She was relieved to feel how sturdy it was.

"You sound surprised," Nathan replied.

"I thought it would take longer."

"It would've if Jake wasn't the one building it," Peyton stated, earning an annoyed look from Nathan. She just laughed in response.

"So we were thinking," Haley began.

"That's never a good thing," Nathan mumbled teasingly.

"Watch it, mister, or you'll be sleeping in the guest room tonight."

"She got you there, Scott."

"Peyton, don't you have some pictures to draw or something?"

"Nope. I'm free all day."

"Great," he said in a dry voice.

"You were saying, Haley," Jake intervened.

"Thank you, Jake. I was going to say that Peyton and I were talking and thought that it'd be nice if we all went out tomorrow night."

"Where did you want to go?"

"We were thinking Tric," Peyton answered. "Haley mentioned that you guys haven't seen Karen and your mom's new club yet. It's the perfect chance."

"I've seen it. It just wasn't under good circumstances." At their questioning looks, he answered, "I had to go get Lucas, remember?"

"Oh, that's right."

"But it's really nice. I think it'd be fun."

"Good, then we're going," Haley declared.

"Are we going to invite Brooke, too?" Jake asked.

Peyton and Haley exchanged a look. "We actually weren't sure about that," Peyton replied. "I mean, that's where Lucas had been and we're going as couples."

"We didn't want her to feel like a fifth wheel."

"But we also don't want her to think we don't want her there. Not that she's been in a big partying mood lately."

"What if I invited Clay?" Nathan suggested. "He's flying in tomorrow. It would add a person and make things less awkward. If anyone could distract Brooke and help her to have a good time, it's him."

"Nathan, you know I love Clay, but he's a total ladies man. I don't want him taking advantage of Brooke. You know how vulnerable she is right now," Haley said.

"Don't worry. I'll talk to him. He won't try anything with her if I tell him not to."

"I think it's a good idea," Peyton weighed in. "She needs to get out of the house and have some fun instead of sulking all of the time."

"I agree with Peyton," Jake added.

"Okay, we'll invite Brooke and Clay. But, Nathan, you're responsible for him," Haley warned.

"It'll be fine," he assured her.

"All right. Then tomorrow night at Tric it is."

* * *

"Are you sure you got it?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Repeat it back to me."

"Nathan."

"Clay."

"Ugh," Clay groaned in annoyance. "Fine. I'm supposed to hang out with Brooke but not hit on her. I can't ditch her for other women unless she's found someone else to hang out with. The topic of Lucas is off limits."

"Good."

"Anything else you'd like to add to that already long list?"

"No, that's it for now," Nathan told him. "Thanks for doing this, Clay. Brooke's been going through a hard time, and we all just want her to have one night where she can relax and have fun."

"Well, everyone knows showing a girl a good time is my specialty," Clay beamed confidently as he fixed his shirt. "And Brooke is hot so-"

"Down boy," Haley said as she descended the stairs.

Nathan's eyes swept over Haley in her dress appreciatively. The top part was a dark gray with three-quarter-inch sleeves. It dipped low into a v-neck almost to her waist, showing off some of her more than ample cleavage. Just underneath her breasts was a large black belt to accent the dress. The maroon skirt began from there and ended just above Haley's knees. Its poof-like appearance actually hid most of her swollen belly. To complete the ensemble, Haley wore black high heels and her diamond necklace and earrings. Her now longer hair fell down at her shoulders in waves. Nathan was just about to open his mouth and say how beautiful she looked when Clay beat him to it.

"Haley, you look gorgeous," he complimented as he helped her down the last step.

She smiled, pleased. "Thanks, Clay."

Nathan stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her. "Easy now. Did I mention that he only makes ten percent?"

"True, but she still looks good," he replied with a playful grin. "I'm surprised you didn't tell her yourself."

"I was going to before you opened your big mouth."

"We agents are so underappreciated."

Nathan rolled his eyes at his friend good-naturedly and turned to his wife. "You do look gorgeous, Hales." He leaned down to kiss her.

"Thanks, baby." She giggled and wiped away the lipstick she'd gotten on him. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he said, smirking. "It was worth it."

"You guys are making me nauseous already," Clay joked.

"Just wait until you're in love, Clay. You'll be just like us," Haley warned teasingly.

"Don't hold your breath."

The doorbell rang a second later. Clay went to get it. "Hey, Brooke."

"Hi," Brooke greeted as she stepped inside. "You guys look great."

"You, too," Haley replied. "I love that red dress on you."

"I know. Isn't it fabulous?"

"And if you have a flaw, it's definitely not vanity," Nathan commented.

Brooke stuck her tongue out at him, causing them all to laugh. "Thank you guys for letting me ride with you and stay over after. I totally plan on drinking myself senseless tonight."

"This might be a stupid question, but why?" Haley inquired.

"My mother is back in town. She just showed up at the house bearing gifts and acting like nothing has been wrong these past few weeks. Like surprising me with a fake fur designer coat is going to solve all of my problems."

"That's interesting. Last time a woman came to my home she surprised me with fake—" Clay started when Haley cut in.

"Okay, how about we head out now? Everyone ready? Great! Let's go." She grabbed Brooke by the arm, shot a scolding look at Clay, and steered them out the door. The sound of Clay's laughter could be heard behind them. This was sure to be an interesting night.


	37. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Haley clung to Nathan as they made their way through the crowded club. _So this is Tric_, she thought and took it all in.

The place was huge. The floor was gray and seemed to be made out of some type of concrete. The walls were painted black while others were made of brick. Some lights hung from the ceiling but were dimmed. It gave Tric an edgy and mysterious ambiance. The rest of the lights were a neon blue placed on some of the walls and at the bar. There was a stage at the back of the club with the dance floor right in front of it. Tables surrounded the area. In a corner to the right were some red couches and mini tables. Haley thought the place looked great. Karen and Deb had done an awesome job with the remodeling. It looked much nicer than the last time she'd been here.

"We should probably get a table," Nathan said. "The place fills up fast."

"I'm sure we'll be able to get something good. Just turn on the charm, Mr. Basketball Superstar," Peyton teased. "You got us in with no wait."

Nathan smiled wide. "I am awesome like that."

"Or I could just talk to Karen," Haley cut in, rolling her eyes good-naturedly at her husband.

"I need a drink," Brooke announced.

"I'm coming with you," Clay said. "It's been a tough week."

"That's the spirit. P. Sawyer?"

"I'll get one in a little while," Peyton stated. "I want to find a table first."

"Jake?"

"I'll wait, too."

"Okay then. Since Nathan is busy and Haley won't be drinking for obvious reasons, it looks it's just you and me, Agent Boy."

"Lead the way, Miss Davis," Clay proclaimed and followed her to the bar.

"I hope she paces herself," Haley mumbled.

The four friends exchanged looks.

"I think it's going to be a long night," Peyton sighed.

* * *

Nathan smiled when a giggle erupted from Haley as he twirled her and brought her back into his embrace. They'd managed to get a table not too far from the stage. He and Haley had sat with Peyton and Jake for a while and talked. It had been so long since they'd all gone out like this and did something fun. It felt like old times. After they ordered drinks, they made their way to the dance floor.

Clay and Brooke were already there. Brooke had a fruity-looking drink in her hand with a tiny umbrella sticking out of it. Clay was holding onto his beer as they moved to the music. Nathan was happy to see that they were having a genuinely good time. Brooke deserved to have a night away from all of the drama in her life. Nathan had nodded to Clay, who gave him a thumbs-up in return.

After that, Nathan focused all of his attention on Haley. She deserved a night like this just as much as Brooke. She'd dealt with a lot recently. There was Nathan's injury, Dan's reappearance then death, the whole HCM drama, Greg and Taylor, and now Lucas. He just wanted to take her away from it all, even if it was only for a short time.

"We must look so weird," Haley said in his ear, trying to be heard over the loud music.

"Why is that?"

Haley pointed to her stomach. "You don't usually see pregnant women in a club. Or dancing." If she could call it dancing, since they were only really swaying from side to side most of the time.

"You're not most pregnant women," Nathan replied, bringing her close. He leaned in to kiss her. "You're much more badass."

She smiled and brought one of his hands to her stomach. "Do you feel that? The baby likes the music."

Nathan felt the soft nudges of their son against his wife's stomach. It didn't seem to matter how many times he felt the baby moving; he was always in awe. A hip hop song was playing.

"That's my boy," Nathan declared with a proud smirk.

Haley playfully pouted. "If only he was this active when I played him classical music."

Nathan suppressed another grin. Haley would play classical music through the stereo when she took naps in the afternoon. What she didn't know was that Nathan would change the song while she was asleep. He'd put on some old-school hip hop albums and then change it back just before she'd wake up. Of the two of them, Nathan definitely thought he had the better taste in music.

"I love this song!" Peyton exclaimed. She and Jake were dancing right next to them, along with Brooke and Clay.

"Me, too!" Brooke shouted.

The brunette was already tipsy; Nathan could tell. Thankfully, Clay seemed to steady her whenever she began to wobble. Nathan was impressed. Clay was actually staying true to his word tonight and showing Brooke a good time—without acting like his usual player self.

"I'm hot. I need a drink," Haley announced. Nathan moved to go with her. "You don't have to come with me. Stay."

"Nah. You know I'm a horrible dancer. I only look good when you're with me."

Haley laughed as Peyton approached Nathan. "It's been a while, Scott. You can't still be that bad. Show me what you got."

"What about me?" Jake questioned, pretending to be offended.

"You don't own me. I'll come back to you later," the blonde teased.

"That hurts, babe."

"I'll dance with you, Jakey," Brooke slurred slightly.

"What about me now?" Clay asked, taking on Jake's mock tone.

"I'm sure I can handle you both."

They all made catcalls and whistling noises as Brooke danced between the two guys. Haley shook her head, still laughing, as she walked away from the group. They were too much. She headed for their table and took a seat. She gulped down her soda and then called to the waitress to bring her another one. Haley could see the group from her seat. She cracked up as Nathan tried to keep up with Peyton. Despite the distance, Haley could see that Peyton was teasing him as they danced.

Brooke, on the other hand, was still sandwiched between Jake and Clay. She seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself. The dance floor became more packed as the minutes ticked by. Haley couldn't see Nathan or her friends as well anymore. She glanced around the club to see if she could spot either Karen or Deb. Neither was in sight.

"Excuse me, was that Nathan Scott you were just dancing with?" someone asked.

Haley turned toward the voice and saw a tall blond woman and a medium-sized brunette standing next to her. Both were wearing skimpy outfits and far too much makeup. "Uh, it was."

"Do you think you could get us his autograph?" the brunette asked with what Haley assumed was her attempt at an innocent smile.

Haley was tempted to tell them to ask Nathan themselves. She thought better of it, though. She could smell shameless skank a mile away, and these two reeked of it. No way did she want these women near her husband. It had nothing to do with Nathan. She trusted him, of course. These women…not so much.

"I'll see what I can do," Haley replied, not making any promises.

"And maybe you could put in a good word for us. We're his biggest fans. We'll be right by the bar if he wants to join us."

"I'll tell him, but I doubt he will." She did her best to hide the annoyance from her voice. Usually Haley didn't let the airhead groupies bother her. They were all the same, and not worth getting upset over. Nathan was her husband. Nothing would change that. But being pregnant, it tended to make one irrational and impatient. Like right now, for example. Haley had the sudden urge to rip out their dye jobs by the roots. Couldn't she just have a nice night out with her husband and friends without being bothered?

"Why is that?"

Haley raised her left hand. "Because I'm his wife."

"Oh," the blonde muttered.

"I guess you didn't bother to find that out while you were researching him on the internet, huh?"

The brunette spoke up, "I thought you'd be thinner." She eyed the bulge in Haley's dress. It was more noticeable when she was sitting.

"Well, that's because I'm—oh, what is it called again?—that's right…pregnant."

"Oh."

"You two say that a lot."

"Don't worry about it, Brandi," the blonde said to the brunette. "The night won't be a total waste. If you can't have one, there's always the other. Let's go."

Haley, frowning, was just about to ask the woman what she meant by that when they took off. She stared after them, confused, but then shook it off. Who knows what they meant? It was probably nothing of importance anyway.

* * *

Haley sat at the bar. She had just been talking to Karen when a club employee approached them. There was some mini crisis backstage that needed her immediate attention. Karen told Haley she'd be back and went to investigate. Haley didn't get up. She was comfortable in her seat and continued to sip her drink. She'd graduated from a soda to a frozen, virgin pina colada.

"Hales, I'm giving him back to you. I can't be seen with him anymore," Peyton's voice said behind her.

Haley turned around on the stool to see her dragging Nathan along by his arm.

"Come on, Peyton, you loved that move I busted out."

"Any cool points you got for being in the NBA went out with that move, buddy."

"What did you do?" Haley asked after Peyton went off in search of Jake.

"I just dropped it like it was hot," he responded casually.

Haley shook her head at him. "That just does not sound right."

"Peyton was holding me hostage out there, so I had to improvise. I missed you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

Haley moved her face to the side and captured his lips before he could pull away. A soft moan escaped as her as his mouth slid hotly over hers. Haley felt that kiss all the way down to her toes.

"I have to go to the bathroom, but then I'm coming back. Maybe we can continue this over by the couches," Nathan whispered huskily. He was sure they could find some dark corner to make out in.

"You better hurry then," she practically purred back. Haley's whole body was humming with anticipation.

_Take that you stupid groupies_, she couldn't help thinking with smug satisfaction. The sexy smile that spread across his face had Haley's cheeks reddening. She took a big gulp of her ice cold drink after he left.

"Haley, have you seen Peyton?" It was Jake.

"Um, I think she went looking for you. She was headed toward the stage last time I saw her."

"Okay, thanks." He paused for a second. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?" he repeated. "You look a little flushed."

Haley felt her blush deepen, if that was even possible. It's not like she could tell Jake that she couldn't wait for Nathan to get back so that they could have a hot and heavy make out session. "It's just really hot in here. There are a lot of people, you know?"

Jake wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "I hear you. You should keep drinking to stay hydrated. I'm gonna find Peyton. We'll catch up with you eventually."

_Not too soon, I hope_. Haley followed Jake's advice and drank some more. When Nathan returned, she was sure to only get more overheated. Where was he anyway? It shouldn't be taking him this long.

A moment later, she felt a presence behind her and smiled. Haley swiveled around to face Nathan and let out a small squeak when she saw that it wasn't him.

"Sorry. Did I scare you?" the guy asked. He was tall with shaggy brown hair and brown eyes that she could've sworn had just swept her up and down.

"Um, no. I thought you were someone else."

"Are you Haley?" She stared at him warily.

"Uh, yeah. How do you know my name?"

"I knew Nathan back in high school. My name's Damien West."

"Haley James Scott," Haley formally introduced herself and shook his hand.

"I heard Nathan got married, but I couldn't believe it. I'm sure you heard about how he was in high school."

"Yes, I did. But he's not like that anymore. He's grown into such an amazing man. We've been married for five years now."

"And you have a baby on the way." He pointed to her stomach.

"Yes," Haley brightened, as she always did at the mention of their child. "We're having a boy."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Damien placed his hand on her stomach. "Nathan's a lucky guy. But then again, he always has been."

Haley's smile stayed plastered on her face as an uneasy feeling washed over her. There seemed to be an underlining tone to Damien's voice that didn't seem quite right. And she really didn't like the fact that his hand was on her stomach. That was one thing about pregnancy that bothered Haley. People thought that just because your bump was sticking out that it wasn't still part of your body, and that they had a free pass to touch. But this went beyond Haley's typical annoyance at the gesture. She tried to shift in her seat and naturally make his hand fall away—instead of slapping it away like she really wanted to do. This Damien guy didn't take the hint, because he was still touching her.

"So, um, how exactly do you know Nathan now?" Haley began to ask when an angry voice interrupted.

"Get your hands the hell off my wife."

"Nathan," Damien said with a smile. "Long time no see."

Nathan was fuming. He'd only been gone for a few minutes and was looking forward to spending some alone time with his wife. When he returned, the last thing he'd expected was to see a punk like Damien West with his filthy hands all over her. "You have two seconds to get away from her before I beat your ass," Nathan threatened. Haley came to stand by his side. He could tell by the simple touch of her hand on his arm that she was already trying to diffuse the situation.

"Nathan, calm down. He says he knows you."

"Yeah, Nate. Is that any way to treat an old friend?"

"You were never a friend of mine," he gritted out.

"Nathan, what is going on? Who is he?" Haley cut in. She figured that Nathan must really dislike this guy for him to get so upset.

"He's just some jackass I knew in high school."

"Oh, come on, Nate. I thought I meant more to you than that," Damien said, trying to sound hurt. He looked at Haley. "You see, we were basketball rivals in high school. My team beat his in a tournament our junior year. Scott here never could get over it."

"Bullshit. You were playing dirty during that game, and everyone knew it. And if I recall correctly, we beat you our senior year in the playoffs. We went to the State Championship while you stayed behind and cried."

Damien's body tensed at that. "I did not cry. I had something in my eye."

"Sure you did," Nathan sneered. "As if that wasn't bad enough, Damien and some of his friends vandalized my house that same night."

"It was just a joke, Scott. You shouldn't take things so personally."

"I'm not the one who's a sore loser. And from what I've heard, you're still a loser. How's the job down at the steel mill treating you, West? Is it all you ever dreamed it would be?" Nathan glanced at Haley. "You see, Hales, Damien here was never good at free throws. He was always too chicken to take the ball to the basket himself. No wonder you didn't last long in college ball."

"I suffered an injury."

"To your ego, no doubt."

"And you continue to get everything you ever wanted."

"I got everything I wanted, because I worked hard. I didn't expect it to get handed to me."

"Like Jerome Garrett handed it to you on the court. Who's the loser now, Scott? You honestly think you're going to come back from an injury like that?" Damien taunted. "You'll never play the same way again. You'll be worthless."

"That's enough," Haley intervened before Nathan could retaliate. She didn't want this situation spiraling out of control. She lowered her voice so only Nathan could hear. "Just walk away, Nathan. He's not worth it."

"Haley! Nathan!" Clay was rushing toward them. "You have to come quick."

Nathan glared at Damien before giving his full attention to Clay. "Why? What's the matter?"

"It's Brooke."

"Is she okay?" Haley asked.

"No. Lucas is here. We sort of ran into him…it's not pretty."

Nathan cursed under his breath and gestured for Clay to lead the way. They followed him to the lounge area with the couches. As they got closer, it didn't matter that the music in the club was blasting. They could hear Brooke's loud, angry voice regardless. Haley took in the scene. Lucas and Brooke were standing opposite each other, engaged in a heated argument. Behind him on the couches were a couple of guys and a group of scantily-clad women. Among the band of skanks were Brandi and her friend. Their previous comment suddenly made sense.

"What the hell is the matter with you, Lucas?" Brooke shouted. "How can you do this to me? How can you do this to yourself? You're so much better than this."

"When are you going to understand that I'm not the old Lucas? You made sure of that when you went behind my back and sold me out."

"I was trying to save your life!"

"Well, who asked you?" he fired back. "I would've been fine."

"You could've dropped dead. You're not invincible, Lucas."

"You took away from me the only thing I ever loved."

"And what about me?" Brooke demanded.

Lucas leveled her with a cold stare. "What about you?"

Haley wanted to rush to Brooke's side when she saw the tears forming in her eyes. She looked so broken. Whatever strength Brooke had left seemed to have been wiped away with that one comment.

"Lucas," Nathan reprimanded.

"Fine. Do whatever the hell you want. Get drunk and fuck a hundred of these stupid whores for all I care," Brooke retorted. "Hell, go ahead and try to play basketball. I'm done worrying about you and feeling guilty. If I mean nothing to you, then you mean nothing to me. You're nothing but a coward."

"What's going on here?" It was Jake with Peyton by his side.

"Brooke, are you all right?" Peyton questioned, full of concern.

"Well, it looks like you guys have found our private party," Damien said, walking up behind them. "You're all welcome to join us. Lucas was just about to buy us the next round."

Nathan turned to his brother and demanded, "You're hanging out with this jackass now?"

"Unlike you, Lucas is a great judge of character," Damien declared. "He wants to carve his own path and have some fun in life; not be stuck in your shadow."

"What the hell is going on here?" Haley cringed when she saw Karen and Deb approach.

This fun night out at Tric was quickly becoming a disaster. Brooke had stormed away with Peyton following after her. Nathan was squaring off with Damien as Lucas wore a livid and inebriated expression. There was no missing the pained look on Karen's face as she saw her son in such a state. Clay, meanwhile, just looked between everyone in confusion.

"Lucas, what on earth are you doing?"

"Nothing, Mom. Stay out of it."

"The hell I will. This has got to stop, Lucas. I will not let you tear yourself down like this. And certainly not in my club."

"I'm a grown man, Mom."

"Then act like it," Karen bit back angrily. "Stop all of this nonsense and get your life back in order. It's just a game, Lucas. It's not worth your life."

"You don't understand."

"I sure as hell do. And until you pull your head out of your ass, I'm banning you from Tric."

"What!"

"You heard me. I do not want you here if you're going to drink yourself into a stupor and cause trouble. Snap out of it, damn it!" Karen fumed, snatched the drink out of Lucas's hand, and walked away. Deb threw Lucas a pitying look and followed after her friend.

"Go home, Lucas," Nathan said. "Come on. We'll drive you."

Lucas didn't say anything. He just shook his head and stomped away. Nathan didn't bother going after him. His brother needed time to cool off and think about things.

When Lucas was out of sight, Nathan faced Damien. "You stay the hell away from my brother. You hear me? I don't care what stupid shit you've been feeding him to get him to hang out with your loser ass. I swear I'll end you if you do anything to hurt him."

"Nathan," Haley stepped in. She tugged on his arm. "Let's go."

"Is that a threat, Scott?"

Nathan's intense stare never wavered. "That's a promise."

Damien smiled and addressed Haley. "You're welcome to stay if you want. I don't usually go for pregnant chicks but for you I'd be willing to make an exception."

Haley saw the muscle in Nathan's jaw clench. That was never a good sign. "Nathan, don't listen to him. Just walk away. Come on."

"Yeah, walk away, Nathan," Damien taunted. "It's not worth it. We both know she'll end up in my bed eventually."

"Hey, knock it off," Jake cut in. He put his hand on Nathan's shoulder. "Let's go, man."

Haley's grip on Nathan's arm tightened, as well. "Nathan." Her husband was furious. She could see his temper rising. She had to get him out of here. "We're going. _Now._"

Haley turned to leave and was just about to drag Nathan with her when she heard Damien's smug voice behind her. "I'll see you later in my dreams, baby. I can't wait to see how you taste." Then she felt a hand slapping her ass.

That was it for Nathan. He lost it. The club, his friends, and even the current drama with Lucas disappeared. All he could focus on was the pure, unbridled anger coursing through him. He then rushed at Damien and felt the satisfaction as his fist connected with the bastard's face.

* * *

After Haley made sure that Brooke was okay in the guest room—she offered to stay with her, but Brooke said she just wanted to be alone—she went back downstairs. Nathan was in the kitchen getting ice to nurse his swollen hand.

"How's the hand?"

"Sore, but I'll live."

"Good. Now I can kill you for the way you acted tonight. When are you going to grow up?"

Nathan stared at her, dumbfounded. "What?"

"I told you to walk away, Nathan. But no, instead you had to start a big brawl."

"What did you expect me to do, just sit back and watch while that jerk harassed you?"

"That's exactly what I expected you to do. Because you are not always the guy who has to jump in and do something, and I'm not some damsel in distress," Haley argued. "If your injury this year—which you're still rehabbing by the way—proves anything, it's that you're not Superman."

"Haley, you're overreacting."

"No, I don't think I am. Do you have any idea what could've happened if Clay, Jake, and those bouncers didn't step in? You could've been hurt, Nathan. Seriously hurt. Someone could've hit your knee and damaged it even more. What would've happened then, huh?"

"Hales—"

"Your dream could've been lost, too. It only would've taken a second. Is that what you want? To become just like Lucas?" she demanded, her voice growing louder with every word.

"Of course not. It just happened, okay? I wasn't thinking."

"You're damn right you weren't thinking. The next time you—" Haley's words halted as she felt a slight stab of pain in her stomach. She put her hand on her abdomen and took a deep breath.

Nathan noticed her distress instantly. He stepped closer and put his hand on her shoulder. "Hales, what's the matter? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered and breathed in deeply once more. Thankfully, whatever discomfort she'd felt seemed to have passed. Haley opened her eyes again. "It's been a long night. I'm going to bed."

"Let me help you."

"No. I can get upstairs by myself." She brushed his hand off of her and started to walk away. "You've done enough already."


	38. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37 **

**_May 19, 2012_**

Haley shifted around in bed, unable to sleep. She kept thinking about Tric and everything that had happened tonight. Lucas was a mess and apparently hanging out with that no good loser Damien. Brooke was a mess after running into Lucas and the argument they'd had. Haley had gotten harassed, and Nathan lost his temper. Then he'd gotten into that fight. Why was it impossible to just have a normal night out?

That anxious feeling was still in the pit of Haley's stomach. She didn't like it when she and Nathan went to bed angry at each other. Haley hadn't meant to yell at him like that. She'd just been so scared when that fight had broken out. Nathan was doing well in rehab, but he wasn't fully healed. He still had a ways to go. One blow to his knee and that could've been it for basketball. Seeing Lucas's behavior lately made Haley think about what would happen to Nathan if he lost his dream. Would he lash out like Lucas was doing, or would he be able to mourn his loss with dignity and move on? Haley really didn't want to find out.

Haley sighed, unable to stand this restlessness anymore. "Nathan, are you awake?"

"No," came his soft voice. Nathan had tried to fall asleep but couldn't. He knew that Haley was awake, too. If she hadn't spoken up, then he would've.

Haley turned over to face him. Nathan's eyes were open, and he moved closer to her. "I'm sorry I got upset with you."

"You had every right to be upset. I'm finally starting to get somewhere with the rehab, and we have a baby on the way. I have no business getting in some guy's face. Even if it was my archenemy Damien West," he said that last part jokingly.

She stroked his cheek. "I just want you to be safe. First you hit Lucas, and then you get into a fight with Damien. What's going on with you?"

"I want you to be safe, too." Nathan continued before she could interrupt. "I know what you're going to say. You can take care of yourself and violence isn't the answer. I get it, and I could've handled myself better. But if you want me to apologize for defending you or fighting back when somebody hurts you, then I can't do that. I won't do that, okay? Because the truth is that's a guy I'll never be. A guy that just stands by and watches as the world hurts you. Can you understand that?"

Haley was silent for a moment. "Yes, I can."

Nathan wrapped an arm around her and kissed her deeply. "Thank you."

"But you have to be more careful, Nathan. I need you in one piece, okay?"

"No more fights," he promised. "But is self-defense acceptable? Because if some punk comes at me and I have to—"

Haley rolled her eyes and laughed softly. "Yes, self-defense is acceptable." She pressed her lips to his and hugged him tightly.

"I just have one question," Nathan stated when they broke apart.

"What is it?"

"Why is it every time we go to Tric some moron grabs your ass?"

Haley laughed and with an innocent shrug replied, "I can't help it that I'm so irresistible and all the guys want me."

"Yeah, well, you're mine."

"Babe, you sound like such a caveman," she teased, despite secretly liking his possessiveness. Nathan could be so sexy when he got all jealous and protective.

"Whatever. It's true," he declared, unabashed.

"Hey, I'm the one who had to deal with your stupid fan club tonight."

Nathan frowned, not understanding. "What do you mean?"

"Some airhead groupies wanted me to introduce them to you. I'm sure they wanted to charm you with their wit."

"Or something else," Nathan muttered and smiled at the peeved expression on his wife's face.

"Oh, and they basically called me fat."

"You're not fat. You're pregnant."

"But I look puffy."

"You do not look puffy."

"Well, I feel puffy." She whacked his arm when he chuckled. "It's not funny!"

Nathan ran a hand through her hair and caressed her face with his fingertips. "You're beautiful," he said, kissing her tenderly. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Why else do you think you're so irresistible?"

"You do have a point," she kidded back before getting serious. "So what are you going to do about Lucas? He really hurt Brooke tonight."

"I know," he sighed. "Jake and I will probably go talk to him."

"When?"

"Not tomorrow—that's for sure."

"Why not tomorrow?"

"I'll give him a day or two to cool off. Besides, I have a surprise planned for you."

Haley's interest piqued. "What kind of surprise?"

"You'll see."

"Nathan," Haley pleaded. She rubbed her nose against his and captured his lips in a hot, coaxing kiss. Her hands trailed through his hair and down his bare chest, causing him to groan.

"No, that will not work," he warned. She resorted to using the puppy dog look. "Neither will that. Just have your gorgeous self dressed and ready by six o'clock tomorrow night. Or tonight, I guess, since it's past midnight and technically already today."

"I hate surprises," Haley pouted.

Nathan grinned confidently. "Trust me, you'll love this one."

* * *

Haley banged her elbow against the guest room door. It was early in the afternoon, and Brooke still hadn't come out. She'd stayed away to give Brooke some time, but now Haley was starting to get concerned.

"Brooke, are you awake?" Haley questioned. "I brought you some tea."

There was a shuffling inside before the door opened. Brooke was wearing some of Haley's pajamas she'd let her borrow. Her face was bare of any makeup, and her hair was unkempt. Haley also noticed how puffy and bloodshot her friend's eyes appeared. Brooke had obviously been crying recently.

"Can I come in?"

"It's your house." Brooke stepped aside. Haley handed her the steam hot cup of tea. "Thanks."

"I made some pancakes for breakfast if you're hungry. Or I could make you a sandwich if you'd rather just eat lunch."

"I'm not hungry." Brooke walked over to the bed and sat down Indian style. Haley followed suit. "I know that look."

"What look?"

"That concerned, I-want-to-make-you-feel-better look."

"Brooke, I'm not going to even try and imagine what you're going through. Last night was…" She couldn't seem to find the right word.

"A disaster. A train wreck. Terrible. Embarrassing. Infuriating. Heartbreaking. Humiliating," Brooke supplied. "I think any of those will suffice."

"I'm so sorry. None of us knew that Lucas was going to be there."

"It's not your fault. And even if you knew, it's not like you can control Lucas anyway. He's a grown man. He makes his own choices."

"Is there anything I can do?" Haley hated seeing her friend so torn up. Brooke was a strong woman, but everyone had their limit. It seemed as if Brooke had finally reached hers.

"I've been thinking about going back to New York for a while," she said. "I think the time away would help."

"What about the new store you're building?"

"I can keep track of that from New York. That's the beauty of modern technology. You can have the world at your fingertips even when you're far away."

"How long would you be gone?" Haley asked.

"Probably a few weeks. I just…I can't be here anymore, Haley. It's too hard." Brooke's eyes started to water. "And I really don't like staying at my parents' house. It's not like I have any good memories there, either."

"Well, I wish you would stay. But if this is what you think you need, then you should go." Lucas had really hurt Brooke last night. Haley didn't believe that Lucas meant what he'd said, but she wasn't going to tell Brooke that. That's not what her friend wanted to hear right now. If Brooke said she needed a break, then Haley was going to respect that.

Brooke nodded and accepted the tissue that Haley handed to her. "It's scary."

"What is?"

"How life can be so perfect one minute and then turn to complete crap the next," she muttered. "You can't take anything for granted, you know."

"Yeah." Haley rubbed her arm comfortingly. "I know."

* * *

Nathan took his eyes off of the road to glance at his wife. "You've been awfully quiet."

"Huh?"

"What's the matter?"

"Sorry." Haley looked away from the window and faced Nathan. "I've just been thinking about Brooke and Lucas."

"Stop worrying," Nathan said gently.

"I can't help it. Lucas is digging himself into a deeper hole, and Brooke is so heartbroken that she wants to go back to New York. I hate that this is happening to them. Ever since I first met them at Duke they've always been together. It's weird and unsettling to see them so at odds now."

"Hales, I know you wish you could help. And maybe we can get through to Lucas and convince Brooke to come back eventually. But let's not worry about it tonight. Tonight is about us," he declared. "Just forget about the rest and relax."

"Maybe I could if you'd just tell me what the surprise is."

"Nice try, but no. You'll see soon enough." He smiled when she huffed in mock frustration.

Haley stared out the window again. She felt Nathan take her hand in his and smiled. He was right. Tonight should only be about them. They could face the rest of the world and its problems tomorrow.

"Nathan, where are we?" Haley questioned some time later. They'd been driving for a least a couple of hours now. She recognized the streets and buildings they were passing.

"You know where we are." He squeezed her hand and pulled into a parking lot.

"Oh my God," Haley murmured. They were parked at the Italian restaurant they'd went to while attending Duke. "Nathan." He had told her dress up, and now she knew why.

Nathan got out of the car and walked around to the other side. He opened the door for her and helped her out. "With everything that has been going on, we didn't really get a chance to celebrate our anniversary last week. It didn't sit right with me, and I wanted to make up for it."

When they walked into the restaurant, a grin instantly graced her face. "This is a wonderful surprise, Nathan." She leaned on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. It didn't last as long as she would've liked, but there were too many people around for them to engage in some serious PDA.

"I told you you'd love it." His smile was triumphant. They got in line to check in with the hostess.

"Name?" the woman said when it was their turn. "Scott—reservation for two."

She looked over the sheet in front of her, and her eyes widened. Finally, the woman glanced up at them. "You're Nathan Scott."

"Uh, yeah."

"You play for the Sonics."

"Yes."

"My boyfriend is such a huge fan of yours. He went to Duke, too. Do you think I could get an autograph?" she pleaded. "He'd probably finally propose to me if I could get this for him. I've been trying to get him to marry me for four years now. A girl could use a little help."

"Um, sure," Nathan replied with a shrug. Haley was smiling in amusement next to him.

"Thank you so much!" She grabbed a few menus and motioned for them to follow her. "You don't have to wait, and you'll get the best seat in the house."

"Sweet," Haley whispered and nudged him. The hostess led them to a nicely decorated, candle-lit table toward the middle of the restaurant. The place had been remodeled since they'd last visited. This particular table was near a window that overlooked the grounds. There was a little waterfall and fish pond with flowers surrounding it outside.

"Here you go." The hostess placed their menus down.

Nathan pulled out Haley's chair for her and waited for her to sit.

"Such a gentleman," she commented.

"That's me," Nathan beamed. He took his own seat afterward.

The hostess held a third menu in her hand. She opened the binding and ripped out one of the pages. "You can sign the back of this."

Once he'd signed his name and the hostess had stopped thanking him and left, Nathan met his wife's gaze. Haley had that playful smile on her face.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just admiring my husband the superstar. You changed that woman's life just by signing your name. "

"I am special like that."

"As long as it doesn't go to your head," she said teasingly and gave him a pointed look. The waitress came to take their order for drinks less than a minute later. Haley could tell by her extra attentiveness that this woman had been told to cater to them. Haley just asked for water while Nathan ordered wine. They then perused their menus.

"What are you getting?" Haley questioned.

"I was thinking about getting the eggplant parmesan. What?" he said when she giggled.

"I remember the first time we came here. I had ordered that, and you had been scared to try it."

"I was not scared," Nathan quickly denied.

"Oh, yes you were. You thought it was going to be gross, but you ended up loving it. Now every time we come here you order it."

"You were the one who wanted me to try something new. It stuck, I guess."

"I'm glad," she stated, pleased.

"What are you going to get?"

"I could go for some prime rib."

"Ooh, that sounds good, too." It was his favorite food—aside from lobster.

"I'll make you a deal, then. I'll give you some of mine if you give me some of yours."

"Okay," Nathan agreed. This way he could have the best of both worlds.

They placed their orders with the waitress and kept the topic of conversation light while they waited for their food. Haley laughed at a joke Nathan had told her. They were having so much fun together that the wait didn't even seem that long. Their food was in front of them before they knew it.

Nathan took his first bite. "Mmm, that is so good."

"Try this." Haley cut a piece of meat and held out her fork to feed him. "That's really good, too."

He scooped up some of his eggplant and held it out for her. "Here you go, Bunny."

Haley almost choked on the bite she'd taken. "You did not just break out the porn names."

"You're the one who taught it to me when we had dinner here that first night. Don't you remember?"

"Oh, I remember, Spike," she joked back. "I just didn't think you did."

"It was so funny that it was burned into my brain that night."

"I can see that."

"If I also remember correctly, you were pretty desperate for me to kiss you, too."

"I was not!" Haley exclaimed. A blush colored her cheeks despite her best efforts.

"Yeah, you were," Nathan chuckled at the memory. "You said you wouldn't kiss me until after the game I had that night."

"So then you decided to get me back by not kissing me once the game was over," she interjected.

"I had to make you squirm like you did to me." Nathan's smirk was full blown.

Haley shook her head and sighed. "Oh, honey, you were such a jerk."

"But a jerk you really wanted to kiss, nonetheless."

Haley flushed just thinking about that night. "You wanted to kiss me, too," she accused.

"Hell yes, I did," Nathan admitted freely. "You're so sexy when you're flustered." He leaned across the table. "It makes me want to kiss you even more now."

Haley met him halfway and pressed her lips tenderly to his. She loved that night. It was shortly after she and Nathan had first gotten together. They'd finally given in to their feelings and started to explore their romantic relationship. They both were happy and falling in love. It was exciting, a little confusing, and scary at times as they started to realize just how strong their connection was and how their marriage played into it. Haley smiled mid-kiss, thinking about how far she and Nathan had come since then. Being with her husband now and still experiencing that feeling of being so in love, Haley knew she wouldn't have traded any of it for the world.

* * *

Haley sighed in contentment when they were back in the car. She'd really enjoyed that dinner. The food was great, and she and Nathan got to spend time together. It was a good change from the events of last night.

"You know, I think that's the first time you've eaten more than me."

"Shut up!" Haley exclaimed and smacked his arm. "I was hungry, and I am eating for two. The baby likes eggplant and prime rib."

"Did he like both of our desserts, too?" he continued to with kid her.

"You said I could have a bite."

"You took, like, half of my cake."

"You know I love chocolate."

Nathan shook his head, chuckling. "That's the last time I leave my food within reaching distance of you."

"Don't worry, I'm never eating in front of you again," Haley muttered and crossed her arms. She couldn't help it if her appetite had increased. It was part of pregnancy. "Where are you going? You have to go back that way to go home." She pointed behind them.

"We're not going home yet," Nathan answered. "The night isn't over." He couldn't wait to show Haley his next surprise.

"Where else are we going?"

"You'll see."

"You've been awfully cryptic all day. It's starting to get annoying."

Nathan didn't say anything further. He just smiled as he continued to drive. It wouldn't take Haley long to figure out their destination. She knew this area like the back of her hand.

"Nathan, we're headed toward Duke," Haley observed.

"Are we?" he proceeded to play dumb.

Haley took in the campus. It was just as she'd remembered it. She'd loved her years at Duke. Haley had always been a geek when it came to school. She practically lived for learning. Her experience was that much more gratifying when she'd met Brooke and the rest of her friends. They'd all instantly clicked. Well, except for her and Nathan. They'd absolutely hated each other. Although now Haley could freely admit that a lot of it had to do with sexual tension and misconceptions. But look how that had turned out. Her archenemy had been her soul mate. Life was funny like that.

"What are we doing here, Nathan?" Haley inquired when they'd finally stopped. They were parked outside their old apartment.

"Just wait here. I'll only be a couple of minutes."

"But—" she tried to say. He was already gone. Haley played with the radio while she waited. She had no idea why they'd come here—not that she wasn't happy to see it. It brought back even more memories for Haley. She jumped when she heard a knock on her window. She hadn't even noticed Nathan was back. He opened her door. "You scared me."

"Sorry. Come on. We're going inside."

"We are?" She let him help her out of the car. "But isn't someone living there?"

"The semester is already over, so the place is empty."

"Won't we get in trouble if we get caught?"

"We'll be fine. Trust me, Hales." She let him lead her up the stairs and to the apartment. "Don't you want to see it?"

"Of course I do." Haley gave his arm an affectionate squeeze. "But I also don't want to get arrested."

"Like I would let the po-po take you."

Haley laughed out loud. "Wow, you really need to lay off of the hip-hop, babe."

"Blame it on Skills. He's always giving me new music to listen to." They stopped in front of the door. "You ready?"

Haley replied with a nod and watched as Nathan turned the knob. "The door wasn't locked?"

A roguish smirk formed on his face. "Actually, I had the key."

"How did you get that?"

"I had the school give it to me. You see, being that I was the star of their basketball team and now a very famous and successful alumna, I get some good perks."

"Perks like what—" She didn't even finish her sentence when Nathan opened the door. There were candles everywhere and a trail of rose petals leading down the hall and into the bedroom. "Nathan…" Haley said in awe, her eyes watering.

"I figured what better place to celebrate our anniversary than where it all started." Nathan brought her into his arms. "Happy anniversary, Hales. Do you like it?"

"I love it." Haley took his face in her hands and guided his lips down to hers. "And I love you."

"I love you, too." Nathan intertwined their hands and led her down the hallway.

Haley gasped when she saw the bed all made up. There was a dark red comforter with gold patterns and a bunch of matching pillows. One pillow at the end of the bed, however, caught her attention. The thing was huge. "Oh my God, is that what I think it is?"

"If you think it's the big-ass pillow you bought to put between us when we first moved in here, then you'd be right. I found it when we first came to Tree Hill and were unpacking."

"I forgot that I even brought it out here."

"Why did you bring it with us?"

Haley shrugged innocently. "Just in case you were bad, and I had to use it. I know you hated that thing."

"So you were going to punish me?"

"Yes, pretty much."

"You're mean, Hales," Nathan teased.

She ran a finger down his chest and said in a sultry, flirtatious voice, "Since you've been a good boy, I haven't had to use it. But that can always change."

Nathan leaned down and placed a kiss just under her neck. His mouth then trailed up to her ear. Her breath caught in her throat at the contact. "Good, because you're going to need it tonight," he whispered huskily.

"Why is that?" she asked, moving her head to the side to give him more access.

"Because," he said against her skin, "as you've pointed out, your stomach is getting bigger. And since I want to spend the night making love to my sexy wife, it looks like we might have to get a bit creative."

"We're staying here?"

"The overnight bags I packed us are in the closet."

Her hands slid up his shoulders and around his neck. She wound them in his hair and held him closer to her. It felt like an electric current was running through her body as his mouth explored her skin. "You really did think of everything tonight. But how can you be sure that you're going to get lucky. It's awfully presumptuous of you." Her playful voice turned into a low moan when he started to suck on the tender spot just under her chin.

Nathan pulled back just enough to smirk down at her. "I think I'm wearing you down." He kissed her passionately then.

Haley completely surrendered herself to the kiss. Nathan had made this night so amazingly special. It was the perfect blend of their past and present. It made her feel like she was falling in love with him all over again. "Do you remember when we first realized that we had to live here together?"

Nathan smiled against her lips. "Oh yeah. I was so pissed. I thought it was the worst thing that could've happened to me."

"Me, too."

"What about the time I yelled at you for eating my food?" Haley murmured.

Nathan ran his hands down her sides. "I thought you were going to kill me—like when I would mess up the place after you cleaned." He left a hot trail of kisses along her jaw and down her neck. "Or that time I walked in on you changing."

Haley started to tremble when Nathan's hand found the zipper on her dress. She threw her head back as he sucked and nipped at her shoulders. His mouth ran over her collarbone and over her chest. "You were always trying to walk in when I was changing."

"I wanted to see you." His hands brushed aside the straps of her dress and proceeded to pull it down. "You were so sexy and completely innocent." Nathan's eyes roamed over her appreciatively when he saw that Haley was wearing a leopard print bra and panties.

"Was I innocent when I used to purposely strut around in those little shorts and a tank top? I knew you were watching me, and it was driving you crazy," Haley said in a low, sultry voice. She started to unbutton his shirt, trailing her fingertips over his skin as she got lower and lower. "Or that time we were lying on the bed, talking, and started making out. I wanted you to kiss me so bad. I didn't care if I hated you or not. If I hadn't come to my senses, I might've let you done more." Haley pressed her lips to his chest, flicking her tongue out every now and then. Nathan's breathing was ragged, and his heart was beating fast. She felt a thrill of satisfaction shoot through her.

Haley slid off his shirt and set to work on his pants. "Or that first night we made love, and I let you take all of me. I never knew anyone could make me feel that good. I didn't want to stop. We didn't even unpack when we finally got back here. We just kept making love for days."

"Hales," Nathan practically growled. He was getting so turned on. The things she was saying and the way she was touching him had Nathan going out of his mind. If she wasn't pregnant, he would've thrown her up against the wall already.

Haley raked her fingernails down his broad shoulders and kissed the base of his throat. "We had so many great nights together, Nathan. We were lucky I didn't get pregnant back then."

Not being able to stand it anymore, Nathan swept Haley into a hot, searing kiss. Haley whimpered as his mouth moved possessively over hers. One of his hands buried itself in her hair as the other slid down her back. He popped the clasp of her bra and guided her backward to the bed. They made fast work of removing the rest of their clothes.

Haley lay back on the bed with Nathan beside her. His hands explored her flesh, causing her body to heat up and arch further into his touch. She wanted to be closer to him, but her stomach was getting in the way. "Nathan, I need you. How are we going to do this?"

Nathan moved away from her briefly. She saw him grab the big-ass pillow and lay it next to her, opposite him. He leaned back down to kiss her and mumbled into her mouth, "Turn over."

"What?"

"Turn over," he instructed and gently eased her onto her side. She lay on his left arm while the right one was wrapped protectively around her. His hard chest was pressed tightly against her back. Nathan moved her leg over the pillow and helped her brace herself against it. He asked if she was comfortable, and Haley told him yes.

Before she could say anything else, Haley felt him at her entrance and then slowly pushing himself inside of her. A loud moan tore from her throat as he filled her.

Nathan squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to not let this be over before it started. She felt so damn good. He clutched at her thigh and used his left arm to hold her close. Haley said his name when he gently started to move within her. Their pace was slow but intense. His lips burned with the urge to kiss her. Unable to reach her lips without difficulty, Nathan settled for the back of her neck and delicate shoulders.

Haley's eyes were shut as she focused on their love making. It felt so strange to not look into her husband's eyes or kiss him. She wanted that connection. But at the same time, being unable to look at him heightened her sense of touch. His hand gripping her thigh, and the other one massaging her breasts had her trembling with pleasure. She pressed her back further into him when he started to whisper her name and how much he loved her into her ear.

Nathan buried his face in the crook of Haley's neck when her arm reached back. Her fingers ran through his dark hair and urged him closer. He felt her other hand stroke his, and he intertwined them. They clung to each other as he went deeper inside of her, both getting lost in their connection and searching for the ultimate release.

"Nathan," Haley gasped, "kiss me." Her lips were aching for his. Their bodies were touching in all the right spots, but it was like she still couldn't get close enough to him.

Nathan felt Haley's head turn upward toward him. He leaned over to close the gap between them. When their mouths finally met, it was like an explosion. Their kisses were frenzied but incredibly intimate. Haley would stroke his tongue with her own before taking his bottom lip between her teeth. Every time she did it, Nathan's whole body quivered. Since neither wanted to pull away, Nathan slid his hand up to support the back of her head.

They continued to kiss and match each other stroke for stroke. It was when Haley moaned passionately into his mouth that Nathan felt her tightening around him. Her nails dug into the skin of his shoulder as his fingers squeezed and kneaded her smooth, firm thigh. He spread her legs a bit more, further opening her up to him. The delicious tension that had been building in both their bodies suddenly burst and overtook them. They rode the waves of their pleasure together, not stopping until they were utterly exhausted and yet satiated.

Nathan and Haley stilled, but their mouths never separated. Their kisses had gone from hot and frantic to tender and slow. Nathan withdrew from Haley, allowing her to lie on her back again. Their bodies were slick with sweat and humming from their love making.

She sighed contently. "That was…" Haley couldn't seem to find the right words. Her mind was trying to catch up with her body.

"Yeah," Nathan said and smiled at his wife and her pink cheeks. She was so flushed. He took pride in being the one who made her that way.

"I guess the big-ass pillow is still good for something," she joked after another minute.

Nathan laughed out loud and kissed her forehead lovingly. "Do you think you could handle one more surprise tonight?"

"Does it involve us getting out of this bed?"

"No."

"Good." She smiled, relieved. "Because I'm comfortable and so not moving."

He laughed again and turned away from her.

"Nathan," she said, not wanting him to get up either. "I'm not going anywhere," Nathan assured and faced her once more. He had a small, blue velvet box in his hand.

"You didn't have to buy me anything. Everything you did tonight was more than enough."

"I know, but I like to spoil you," he teased. "Open it."

Haley did as he said and opened the box. She gasped at the sterling silver locket inside. The locket was heart-shaped and had a floral border around the edges. In the middle was another small heart with the words _I love you_ and a single rose inscribed in the center. "Nathan, this is beautiful."

"I thought maybe you'd want to put a picture of the baby inside once he's born."

She kissed him affectionately. "I definitely will. I'll need a picture of you, too. I want both my boys inside." Haley nuzzled her nose against his. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"But I didn't give you anything," she said sadly.

"That's not true. You've given me a wonderful life so far." He rested his hand on her stomach. "And you're giving me a son." Their foreheads touched. "That's all I need."


	39. Chapter 38

**Hey everyone, a big thanks to everyone who reviewed. I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter. I know many of you loved the progression of Naley's relationship in MTA. They were constantly fighting and torturing each other but still couldn't resist falling in love. Now that they're older and have been married for several years, obviously their lives are different. I wanted to have a chapter that was reminiscent of their past and showed how it all contributed to their present. **

**I hope you'll enjoy this next chapter. I had a little too much fun with Nathan in this one. The poor guy. Anyway, please read and review. And Happy Memorial Day weekend!**

* * *

**Chapter 38 **

"I think that's the last of it," Nathan announced. He placed the bottle of liquor in his hand with the others on the counter. They must have found about twenty bottles around Lucas's house.

Jake whistled as he looked over everything. "Who knew Lucas was like the alcoholic Easter Bunny."

The pair had come to see Lucas and check in on him. It had been a few days since the disastrous night at Tric. When Lucas didn't answer the door, Nathan figured his brother was ignoring them. He'd then called Brooke and asked where they stashed the spare key to their house. She didn't ask why he needed to know, and he didn't tell her. Brooke was in New York working through her own pain at the moment. Nathan didn't want to add to it with talk of Lucas.

With the spare key in hand, Nathan and Jake had gone into the house. It turned out that Lucas wasn't home. Like the last time Nathan had visited, the place was a mess. There were empty beer bottles and food wrappers everywhere—and that was just the living room. He and Jake had decided to clean up while they waited. They'd both immediately noticed the large amount of alcohol scattered around the house. It was bad enough that Lucas was going out and getting drunk. The last thing he needed was to come home and drink himself into an even deeper stupor. So he and Jake had split up and searched around the house, confiscating every single liquor bottle. They had to be meticulous in their search. Nathan had found bottles shoved under the mattress and behind books in Lucas's study. He wanted this entire place cleaned out before his brother finally returned home.

"What should we do with it all?"

"If we were back in college, I'd say we have enough booze for a good party," Nathan joked.

Jake laughed in agreement. "Either way, I think we should just get it out of here."

"Let's load it in the SUV then."

It took them about twenty minutes to move all of the alcohol to Nathan's car. When they were finished, they went back inside. Nathan had just taken a seat on the couch when the sound of a baby crying filled the room.

"Great," Nathan muttered under his breath.

Jake didn't even try to hide his smile. "Duty calls."

Nathan reached into the baby carrier to pick up the crying doll. "I don't get it. I already fed and changed it before we left. Why is it crying?" He and Haley had gone to their childbirth class last night. Usually it met on Fridays, but this had been a special session. They're instructor had said that they'd be getting first-hand experience of what to expect when the baby arrived.

The woman had pulled out a set of infant dolls. They were supposed to feel, sound, and act like a real newborn baby. Every couple was to take a baby home for a few days. They would be in charge of caring for it until Friday when they could be returned. Nathan had thought it would be a piece of cake. It's not like the doll was a real baby. It was just a creepy-looking piece of plastic. Boy was he wrong. The thing hadn't shut up since they'd gotten it. It must've woken them up four times last night. He and Haley had taken turns getting up.

"I don't know. Maybe it just wants to be held."

Nathan didn't say anything else. He just held the doll against his shoulder, hoping the crying would stop soon. Bringing the baby with him over Lucas's wasn't ideal. It was more of a distraction—and totally embarrassing. If he and Haley were out in public, they'd get these weird looks from people. Nathan preferred to leave the doll home, but Haley hadn't been feeling well earlier. She needed to get some rest.

"It's getting louder."

"Try burping it," Jake suggested.

"Why would a doll need to burp?"

"But it's not supposed to be a doll. It's supposed to be a baby. You have to treat it like a real one."

Not having a better idea—and wanting the crying to stop before his headache got any worse—Nathan patted the doll's back. The crying continued, much to Nathan's annoyance. He nearly cursed out loud when he heard the front door open and saw Lucas walk in.

"What the hell?" his brother muttered. Nathan and Jake stood up.

"Hey," Jake greeted.

Lucas eyed the doll in Nathan's arms. "What are you doing in my house? And what the hell is that?"

"Haley and I have to take care of this baby for our childbirth class," Nathan said loudly, to be heard over the crying.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Nothing. We just wanted to see you," Jake answered.

Lucas seemed to notice the cleanliness of his living room and kitchen. "Sure you did. I didn't know that you were back in town, Jake. Did Nathan call you and tell you all about his drunken screw-up of a brother?"

"No. I came here for Peyton who's been spending time with Brooke. But if you're asking if I've been worried about you, then the answer is yes."

"How sweet."

Nathan spoke up, "Luke, we need to talk to you."

The blonde threw his keys on the side table and walked to the refrigerator. He searched inside and frowned.

"You won't find any beer in there."

Lucas went to the liquor cabinet.

"Or there," Jake added. "We also found your other stashes. It's all gone."

He scoffed and shook his head, the annoyance plain on his face. "Figures."

Nathan took the opportunity to observe his brother. Lucas's face was pale and his eyes sunken in. It seemed like he hadn't slept in days. And if his messy hair and wrinkled clothes were any indication, he was in desperate need of a shower, too.

"Oh well, I can just buy more."

"Luke, alcohol is not going to solve anything," Jake said tentatively.

"I don't expect it to. It's just nice not having to feel anything."

"Like you didn't feel anything when ripping Brooke's heart out," Nathan stated. He noticed the flash of pain in his brother's eyes at the mention of her. "You were a real dick to her, man."

"I didn't ask her to save me. She should've left me alone."

"Well, you got your wish. Because Brooke left for New York a couple of days ago, and who knows when she's coming back—if ever."

Lucas's whole body was tense. "What are you doing here, Nathan? Did you come to punch me again? I thought I wasn't worth saving."

"Look, I'm sorry that I punched you. I shouldn't have done that. But you also shouldn't have insulted Haley. She's always been a good friend to you, and you didn't have to take your anger out on her." Nathan's jaw clenched when Lucas started laughing. He did his best breathe deeply in and out. He was not going to lose his temper this time. "What's so funny?"

"It's just hard to take you seriously while you're holding that doll. If only Dan could see you now."

"If he could see you now, it'd be like looking back in a mirror."

Lucas immediately stopped laughing, much to Nathan's satisfaction. Thankfully, the doll was quiet now. Nathan didn't know when it had stopped—his focus had been on Lucas—but he was grateful. He placed the doll back in its carrier.

"Why are you here again?"

"We were going to the River Court to hang out with the guys. We thought you might like to come," Jake explained.

"Um, in case you've forgotten, my basketball days are over. I won't be stepping on a court any time soon."

"Just because you can't play professionally doesn't mean that you can't play at all. A quick game with some old friends won't kill you—unless you're not taking your medicine." Nathan gave him a pointed look. "Have you been taking your medicine?"

"Yes," Lucas snapped, annoyed.

Nathan felt relief rush through him. At least Lucas was doing something right. "Come with us."

"I can't."

"Why not? Do you have plans with Damien West or something?"

"I knew it." Lucas threw his hands up. "I knew it wouldn't be long before you brought him up."

"You're damn right I'm going to bring him up. He's a bad guy, Luke. You knew what he was like in high school. And based on the way he behaved at the Tric, it's easy to see that nothing has changed."

"We're not bff's. We've only hung out a couple of times."

"Yeah, well, it's already a couple of times too many. Damien can't be trusted. I can already see that he's sucking onto your status and reputation and using it for his own gain. If you don't get away from him, it won't be long before he drags you down with him."

"We're your real friends, Luke. Don't shut us out." Jake stepped forward and placed his hand on Lucas's shoulder. "We've all been through shit and had our dark days. You were always there for us. Let us be here for you now. Come to the River Court with us."

For a moment, Lucas faltered. The struggle and indecision were written all over him. Nathan thought they might finally be getting through to him. But just as quickly as those emotions had appeared, they passed.

"I can't."

"Luke," Nathan said.

"I can't, Nathan." He looked away from him, ashamed. "I just can't."

* * *

It was hot, and the sun was shining at the River Court. Tim, Skills, Fergie, Junk, and Mouth were already there. Mouth sat on the bleachers giving his commentary as the others played a game. They stopped once they spotted Jake and Nathan.

"Hey," the guys called. Nathan and Jake said hi back and stepped onto the court.

"It's been a while since either one of you has been here," Junk said.

"Well, I haven't come by because my rehab prevents me from playing basketball. I didn't think I could resist the temptation," Nathan joked. "But I finally have the go-ahead from my physical therapist, and he says that I can do some light activity."

"Wow, Nate, that's awesome," Mouth enthused.

Tim pumped his fist in the air. "Sweet. Nathan's in the his house and—"

"Just say I'm back, Tim," Nathan interrupted with a roll of his eyes.

"And I have been in L.A. But I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot more of me," Jake revealed.

Nathan stared at his friend, along with the others. "You got that job?"

"Yes, I did. I told Peyton about it this morning, and she's thrilled. We'll be moving to Tree Hill permanently."

"That's great, dawg. Congratulations," Skills said. "One more question, though." He turned to Nathan. "What in the hell is that in your hands?"

Nathan had almost forgotten. He sighed and tried to hide his embarrassment. "This is an infant doll. Haley and I got it from our childbirth class. It's supposed to act like a real baby, and we have to take care of it for a few days."

There was a moment of silence as all of the guys looked at each other. Then they busted out laughing.

"You have to carry that thing around with you," Fergie snorted.

"That is crazy, dawg," Skills cracked up, clutching his sides.

Nathan rolled his eyes and cringed when he heard crying for the millionth time that day. "Great. Now you guys woke it up." He put the carrier down on the bleachers and picked up the doll. It only made his friends laugh harder.

"I need a snapshot of this," Skills proclaimed. "Who would ever picture the great Nathan Scott with a doll?" He whipped out his cell phone and took a photo despite Nathan's protests.

"I think it's kind of cute," Tim commented and started making baby noises at it.

"Tim, I've got it. Besides, it's not real." Nathan moved away and patted the doll's back. The guys were still laughing. He was never going to live this one down.

"So, has anyone seen Lucas recently?" Jake spoke up.

Nathan was grateful for the change of subject because as soon as Lucas's name was mentioned, the laughter immediately died down.

"I've gone to his house a couple of times. He's in bad shape." Skills dribbled the ball in his hands and shook his head. "I don't know what to say anymore."

"We just came from there," Nathan told them. He put the doll back in the carrier when it stopped crying. "There's no change. He's still really angry and closed off."

"I think he just needs time," Mouth advised. "It's only really been a month, and he's lost a lot."

"If he keeps it up, he's really going to have nothing," Junk muttered.

"Brooke was one of the best things he had, and he drove her away. I mean, I can understand that he was angry that she told his coach about his heart condition," Skills reasoned. "But I would've done the same thing. The game isn't worth losing your life."

"Or your soul," Nathan added softly as an image of Dan flashed in his mind.

"Do you think you would've reacted like that if it had been you?" Mouth asked him.

Nathan shrugged. It was a tough question. He'd been thinking about that himself these last few weeks. "I don't know. I'd like to think that I wouldn't. I got tested because Haley and the baby come first. I chose them over my career when I did it. If I had been the one with HCM…I can't deny that it would've been tough to deal with." He said with determination, "But I also never want to end up like my father—living a life of bitterness and regret. That would be my hell."

"Well, you said that you could start playing again," Skills interrupted after a couple minutes of silence. "Let's see what you got, Nate." He tossed the ball to Nathan.

"I can play, but nothing too intense. I don't know how useful I'd be in a game. All I can really do is some light dribbling and moving around."

"Then take your shot, Scott. But don't think that just because you're injured, I'm going to go easy on you. As soon as you can play again, it's on."

"Okay, Skills," Nathan chuckled and released the ball from his hands. It sailed through the air, hit the backboard, rolled around the rim, and fell to the side.

"I guess you're a little rusty," Mouth observed.

Nathan cursed under his breath.

"Okay, game to eleven and you can have the first ten points," Skills stated. "You're going to need them."

* * *

Haley placed a hand on her stomach as peals of laughter shook her whole body. Even Peyton, who was sitting beside her, driving, was cracking up. Haley had spent most of the morning in bed. She'd been exhausted despite going to sleep early the previous night. It's why she'd asked Nathan to take care of the infant doll. Haley had thought the doll was a good idea. It looked and felt real and would let them practice taking care of a newborn baby. Nathan, she could see, was uneasy about it right from the beginning. Carrying a doll everywhere they went was embarrassing to him.

Haley, however, thought his reaction was hilarious. She'd had to convince Nathan to hold it before showing him how. The freaked-out look on his face was priceless. But he sucked it up and held it, albeit awkwardly, with Haley laughing silently the whole time as she watched him. Even now she was laughing after hearing the panicked message he'd left on her phone. Haley had to play it for Peyton afterward. It was too funny.

Nathan had wanted to know when she could take the baby. He said it wouldn't stop crying, and that he had left the River Court when the guys wouldn't stop laughing at him. She also heard a mumbled, "stupid plastic demon" and "this lesson sucks" before he shut off. Haley had texted him back and said that it would be another hour before she came home. Peyton had something to show her. Haley hadn't wanted to call him, because she knew that Nathan would be ranting and complaining as soon as he got a hold of her. She'd wait until she got home to deal with him.

"That is great," Peyton chuckled.

"Men," she sighed and shook her head. "So where are we going? I have to get back soon before he has another meltdown."

"Not far. In fact, we're here." Peyton pulled into a lot and parked in front of a brown, wooden building with giant windows in the front. In one of the windows hanging was a sign that read "For Lease."

Haley got out of the car. "Peyton?"

"So you know how I told you about Jake's announcement today? That he came here for a job interview and got it?"

"Yeah—which is totally awesome, by the way. I'm so excited that you guys are moving here." Haley meant it sincerely. Peyton had been telling her how stressful and unfulfilling life in L.A. had become and how she wanted to move back to the East Coast. Haley was glad that this was happening for her friend. She also couldn't help but feel a little envious. Jake wanted to move back with Peyton and could get a job anywhere. With Nathan it was tricky. The Sonics had been his first team, and he really loved playing for them. Haley didn't think he had any inclination to look for another team. Even if Nathan was willing to be traded, money and contracts played a big role in where he might end up. There were no guarantees.

Pushing aside her troubled thoughts, Haley questioned, "So what are we doing here?"

"I'm thinking of renting out this space to be my art studio and gallery. I really like it, but I wanted a second opinion."

"Wow, great. How did you find this place so fast, though? Didn't Jake just tell you about the job and everything today?"

A sheepish look formed on the blonde's face. "I might've been indulging my overactive imagination while I was out here alone," she admitted.

"Peyton, you sneaky girl you," Haley teased.

"I was just innocently glancing through the newspaper and online when I found this place. You have to see it, Haley. I think it'd be perfect."

She smiled at her friend's excitement and motioned for Peyton to lead the way. Peyton held the door open for Haley to let her go in first. What Haley immediately noticed was the sheer size of the place. The room was wide and open with high ceilings. A few support beams were located here and there, giving the room a more dynamic appearance. The floors were a light hard wood, and the walls were half painted a light cream color with wooden panels at the bottom.

"I was thinking that I could not only hang pictures on the walls, but I could also get some really great partitions and place them throughout the room. I could hang paintings on there, as well." Peyton walked back to the large window. "And right here I would place a small table where people could get a free cup of coffee and maybe a little snack like a cookie or pastry or something. That way they can relax and enjoy themselves while they look at everything."

"Peyton, this place is amazing." Haley walked over to the counter. It was in the center of the room toward the back.

"There's more. Follow me." Peyton took her into the back room, which was also spacious. "I would make this into the studio where I could work. That way I don't have to mess up the apartment with paint and all of the other stuff I use. There was this one type of paint I used that smelled, and it would drive Jake crazy."

"But here you wouldn't have to worry about it. You have your own creative space."

"Exactly."

"How much does this place cost to lease?"

"It's kind of expensive, but Jake will be making more with his new job. And once I have my business established, I think it will really take off. I've been selling some of my drawings and paintings online, and I've been doing well. That money would go toward this place, as well."

"If this is what you want and you can afford it, then I say go for it," Haley encouraged. "You deserve this, Peyton. I think this will be a great opportunity for you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Peyton gave her a hug. "Thanks, Haley."

"Has Jake seen it yet?"

"No, I'm bringing him later on tonight. But he seems enthusiastic about it."

"Good. If anyone knew how miserable you were at your old job, it would be him."

"That's for sure," Peyton muttered.

"So I'm sure he wants you to be happy now and doing what you love."

Peyton glanced around the room and took a deep breath. "It is what I love."

Haley smiled. "Then it's all you can ask for."

* * *

The sound of a baby crying was the first thing Haley heard upon returning home. It was followed by the sound of hurried footsteps down the hall. A second later Nathan was in front of her, looking stressed.

"Haley, where have you been? You said an hour." When she opened her mouth to reply, he interrupted, "Never mind. Just take it. Please take it. It will not stop crying."

He held the doll out to her, which she took. "Did you feed it?"

"I fed it. I burped it. I changed its diaper. I even tried singing it to sleep. Nothing worked!"

"Well, you don't really have the best singing voice, honey."

"This is not funny."

Haley quickly hid her smile when Nathan glared at her in exasperation. "Sometimes babies just need a little love and attention."

"It's not a baby. It's a doll."

"Nathan, quiet. You're hurting its feelings," she admonished.

"It's a doll!" he exclaimed.

Haley rolled her eyes and held the baby against her shoulder. She patted its back and started to rock it back and forth. It only took a couple of minutes for it to quiet down and stop crying completely.

Nathan watched her with wide eyes. "How did you do that?"

"Because I was calm and nurturing," she beamed.

"That thing hates me."

"The baby does not hate you. But, you know, if you wanted to make it feel more loved, you could stop calling it a plastic demon and all those other names."

"That thing hates me, and I don't like it either," Nathan proclaimed.

"Nathan! Is this what you're going to be like with our baby? If he doesn't stop crying, you're just going to freak out and hate him?" she challenged, wondering if she should be concerned.

"Of course not! I already love our baby. I just think this assignment is stupid. I couldn't get anything done today, and then everyone was looking at me funny when it cried."

Haley was finding it very difficult not to laugh at that. "Nathan, welcome to the world of parenting. A baby is a full-time responsibility, and sometimes it will cry at the worst imaginable times. You just have to love it, care for it, and get through it." She held the doll out to him. "You want to try again?"

Nathan reluctantly took the baby from her arms. When it started crying again, he quickly gave it back to Haley. The crying stopped. "You see! It hates me." Nathan backed up a few steps. "I'll like our baby but that thing…it's not going to happen."

Haley giggled softly and shook her head as he left the room. She glanced down at the doll in her arms. "You really shouldn't be so hard on him. I promise that he's usually very nice. Maybe we should go try again." Haley had only taken about two steps before the baby suddenly started crying. She stared at the doll curiously and stepped back; the baby went quiet. "Okay, so maybe you really don't like him."


	40. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39 **

**_June 23, 2012_**

Haley sighed as she left the bathroom for what must've been the fourth time that morning. No matter how little she drank, for some reason she just always had to pee. It felt like the baby was right on top of her bladder, using it as a moonbounce.

Haley brushed a hand across her huge, round stomach. "Please go easy on Mommy today," she said.

There was so much that Haley had to do. First on the list was to finish making Nathan's breakfast. He'd been exhausted from the day before and decided to sleep in. The guys at the River Court, as well as Quentin, Jack, and a few other Ravens, had been helping Nathan get back into the game over the last month. Nathan had been disappointed and slightly frustrated in the beginning. Haley had listened to his concerns about not being able to move as fast or sink his shots. Whenever he got really discouraged, Haley told him to just keep pushing forward. Nathan's basketball talent was natural. Eventually it would come back to him. His knee was still healing, after all. It would take time.

Today, however, Haley didn't want Nathan thinking about his recovery, basketball, or any other obstacles he might be facing. He was going to sit back, have fun, and relax. Haley would make sure of that. In fact, she was making Nathan a special breakfast. Her mother had always made smiley face pancakes on her birthday, and Haley intended to keep the tradition alive with her own family. Piling the pancakes she'd just made on a plate, Haley got a strip of bacon to form the mouth on the top one. She used blueberries for the eyes, a small strawberry for the nose, and tons of whipped cream for the hair. The eggs she put off to the side. She placed her masterpiece on a tray, along with a glass of orange juice, a bottle of real maple syrup, and a tiny vase with a few wildflowers.

Once everything was perfectly arranged, she made her way upstairs. Duke was following behind her. Haley assumed that he was driven more by the scent of the food than his need to be in her presence. In the bedroom she saw that Nathan was still asleep. She placed the tray on his nightstand and sat next to him on the bed slowly. Her stomach was getting so big these days that it was making it harder to move around. Running a hand tenderly through his hair, Haley softly called his name. It took a minute or so for him to wake from his deep sleep.

Nathan yawned and leaned into her touch. When is eyes finally opened, he was smiling. "Good morning, beautiful," he said, stretching, and placed his hand over hers. He then brought it to his lips.

"Good morning, Birthday Boy." She leaned down to kiss him, and he got up to meet her halfway.

"You remembered."

"Of course I remembered." She grabbed the tray and set it on his lap when he was fully upright.

A grin spread across his face as he inhaled the delicious aroma. "The famous James smiley-face pancakes. I've missed these."

"It is tradition." Haley handed him a fork. "So eat up." She couldn't help but watch his face as he took the first bite. His expression practically melted.

"Mmm…so good."

"I'm glad you like them." Haley couldn't help but beam with pride.

"What are we going to do today?"

"That's up to you. It's your birthday. We can do whatever you want."

"I was hoping that we could just stay in and relax around the house."

"If that's what my man wants, then that's what he's going to get. But I do have one request," Haley said.

"What is that?"

"That we can go out to dinner tonight."

"Okay. Where?"

"That, my darling husband, is a surprise."

"Ooh, really? Lucky for you, I like surprises."

"Trust me, you'll love this one." Nathan stabbed at a piece of pancake and held out his fork to her. Haley accepted the bite and nearly moaned. She really did make awesome pancakes. "That is good."

"Told you. Hey, where are you going?" he questioned when she started to stand.

"I have some things to take care of around the house."

"Make Mariam do them. That is what we hired her for, Hales."

"I gave her the day off today. Besides, they're minor. I'll be fine." Haley knew how concerned he could get about her. Nathan was always worried about her overexerting herself. What he didn't know was that the "things" she was referring to had nothing to do with housework and everything to do with the surprise she had planned for him later.

"Fine. I'll finish my breakfast while you do your thing. But afterward you're kicking back with me. I was thinking it'd be a good movie marathon day or something."

Haley nodded in approval. "I could use a good movie marathon. No horror, though."

"No horror. I promise."

Haley gave him one more affectionate kiss and left him to finish his breakfast. She went back downstairs and grabbed her cell phone. Searching through her call log, she clicked on the correct number and waited.

"Hello?" a voice finally answered.

"Hi, Karen, it's Haley. About tonight…"

* * *

"Will you stop laughing?"

"I'm sorry. I can't help it."

"It's my birthday, and you said we could do whatever I want."

"I know I said that. That's not why I'm laughing, though."

"Then why, pray tell, are you laughing?"

"Because of all the movies we could have done a marathon to, you chose _Star Wars_." Haley shook her head, unable to stop giggling. "And you always called me a nerd."

"You were a nerd. And what is wrong with _Star Wars_?" Nathan questioned. "It's a classic."

"I was not a nerd. I was a straight-A student," Haley defended.

"A nerd." The smirk was full blown on his face.

She swatted his arm. "My point is that you just don't seem like a _Star Wars_ kind of guy. If only people knew the truth."

"Luke Skywalker's struggle to defeat the dark side, reunite the Jedi Order, and restore balance to the Force is a well-written plot."

"And the fact that you just said all of that proves my point." Seeing the determined yet flustered look on her husband's face was highly entertaining. Haley just couldn't help herself. "You may be a jock, Nathan Scott, but there is a part of you that wants to unleash his inner geek."

"_Star Wars_ is a part of cinematic history. Normal people can enjoy it. _Star Trek_, on the other hand, is for Klingon-worshiping freaks. There's a difference," Nathan declared. "Besides, I'm not the one who can quote all of the movies. That was totally Lucas."

Haley was actually impressed. "He can?"

"Yeah. He said growing up that he could relate to the whole thing about having a father on the dark side of the Force—not that I blame him," Nathan muttered the last part.

They both suddenly fell silent at the mention of Lucas. They hadn't seen much of him in the past month. Nathan had gone and visited Lucas a few times, but he never seemed to be home. It was more likely that he was home but just didn't want to answer the door. Nathan was hoping that Lucas would join him with the others at the River Court. He needed to get out of the house and be around people. Wallowing in self pity was getting him nowhere.

Haley had even called Lucas yesterday about her plans for Nathan's birthday. She wanted Lucas to know that he was welcomed to join them. The gesture was probably futile but worth a try. Lucas may have given up on everyone else, but they hadn't given up on him—at least not yet.

Leaning over, Haley placed a kiss on Nathan's shoulder and wrapped her hands around his arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"Hales, it's not your fault." He brought her closer. "You didn't bring him up. I did."

"I just don't want you stressed on your birthday."

"I'm not. But since I did mention Lucas, it reminded me of something I wanted to discuss with you."

"What's that?"

"I know that things with Lucas have been…well, bad lately. But he's still my brother."

"Okay." She frowned, not understanding where he was going with this.

"The good guy he was is still in there somewhere deep down. I know we talked about him being the baby's godfather and making 'Lucas' the baby's middle name. I guess I was just hoping you'd agree to keep it that way."

"I know what you mean, and I do still think he should be the baby's godfather. The middle name should stay the same, too. Lucas is in a dark place right now, but I know he'll get through it. He'll be a better person for it once he does."

"Thank you," Nathan said and hugged her. He placed a hand on her stomach after they broke apart. "There is one more thing. I've been thinking about the baby's first name."

"Honey, even though it's your birthday, we are still not naming our baby Jordan," Haley teased.

"Actually, that wasn't it. I was thinking we should name him James."

"James," Haley repeated.

"Like your maiden name. We created this baby together, and he's a part of both of us," Nathan explained. "I think James Scott is fitting."

Haley took a moment to think it over. "James Lucas Scott," she murmured the entire name to herself. She had to admit that it had a very nice ring to it.

"Well, what do you think?"

"I think I love it," Haley declared. A blissful smile formed on her face. "I can't believe we finally named our baby."

Nathan kissed her lovingly for a few minutes until Haley pulled back abruptly. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. Jaime is just really kicking today."

"Jaime?"

"Oh, yeah. I thought it was always a cute nickname for the name James. Do you not like it?"

"No, I do. You just surprised me." He put his hand to her stomach and felt James's foot against his hand. "You know, I still can't get over how amazing it is when he moves. It makes it all so…real."

Haley placed her hand atop his. "Trust me, it doesn't get any realer than this."

* * *

There was complete darkness. It didn't matter if Nathan opened or closed his eyes. He couldn't see a thing. "Is this blindfold absolutely necessary?"

"Yes, it is," he heard Haley reply, the amusement obvious in her voice.

Nathan had no idea where they were supposed to be going for dinner. All Haley would tell him was that he needed to dress up. So he wore a nice blue, button-down shirt, gray dress pants, and his good shoes. Thankfully Haley told him that he could skip the tie.

"Are we there yet?"

"No, we are not, Mr. Impatient."

"Are we going to a restaurant?"

"I don't know."

"A show?"

"Not telling."

"Dinner and a show?"

"Sorry, Scott. You're not getting anything out of me."

Nathan reached over and placed his hand on her thigh, massaging it. "Even if I do this?"

Haley laughed and removed his hand. "Sorry, stud, but I'm driving. I need to focus."

"This is torture." He sat back and sighed loudly.

"Almost there." Haley was shaking her head despite her husband's inability to see her. They'd only been driving for a few minutes, but it must've felt like forever to him. Not being able to see certainly changed a person's perception, which was the idea. Everything had to be perfect for his surprise.

Finally, the car came to a stop. Nathan raised his hand to remove the blindfold when Haley stopped him. "Not so fast. Keep that on."

"What? How am I going to get out?"

"I'm going to help you."

"Hales—" his tone had taken on a slight whine. It was actually kind of adorable in Haley's opinion.

"You do trust me, don't you?"

"Sometimes," he said, smirking, which earned him a whack to the arm. Nathan heard Haley get out of the car. She placed her arm through his and guided him to the sidewalk, telling him when to step up and to the side when appropriate. There was the sound of a door handle turning. The door, Nathan assumed, opened, followed by a loud jingle from a bell. Haley told him to walk forward a few steps and then stop.

"Hales, what is going on?" She didn't answer. Instead he felt her hands at the back of his head, untying the blindfold. When it was completely off, Nathan eyes adjusted to the scene before him.

"SURPRISE!" an array of voices rang out. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NATHAN!"

Nathan's eyes widened in utter shock. Karen's Café was filled with tons of familiar faces. Some were his hometown friends from Tree Hill and others—like Clay and Tony and Lindsey—were from Seattle. There was a huge "Happy Birthday" banner over the counter and balloons and party streamers everywhere. An assortment of food and drinks was spread across the counter. A table in the corner to the right was filled with presents.

He turned to Haley. "You did all of this?"

"With a little help, yes."

He bent down to kiss her cheek and walked into the crowd of family and friends. Everyone took turns wishing him a happy birthday and hugging him. People also came up to Haley to say hello and ask about her pregnancy. It was like one big, overdue reunion. It took Nathan a while to meet up with everyone.

Eventually he spotted a dimple-faced brunette standing off to the side, looking a little out of sorts. He approached her and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so glad you could make it, Brooke." He hadn't seen her in over a month.

"Well, when Haley said that she was planning a birthday party for you, I knew that I had to come back."

"How long will you be staying in Tree Hill?"

"I promised Haley and Peyton I'd stay a week," she told him. "Then I have to get back to New York."

"You're a good friend." Nathan knew how hard it must've been for Brooke to come back. Tree Hill was a reminder of Lucas and everything that had gone wrong between them.

"Yo, Big Time," Tony called to him. "What do you and your friend want to drink?"

Nathan and Brooke looked at each other before simultaneously saying, "Beer." They were both still laughing when Haley approached. She held a root beer float topped with whip cream in one hand and a plate of food in the other.

"Wow, Tutor Mom, you look like you're ready to party."

"Karen makes the best root beer floats." Haley took a long sip. "And food. So good. Not all of us can still drink, you know."

Brooke laughed. "And not all of us are carrying what is sure to be the cutest baby in the world."

"I have to agree," Nathan said and reached out to wipe away the spray whip Haley had gotten on her nose.

Haley smiled sheepishly and motioned toward the long table in the center of the room. "I'll be over there with Peyton and Lindsey. We saved you guys a seat."

Nathan stared at the table. His mom and Andy were sitting on the end. Karen and Keith were across from them, talking. Haley sat by Karen with Peyton on her other side, along with Jake. Lindsey sat opposite them with an empty seat—most likely for Tony—between her and Clay. Tim, the River Court guys, and Whitey were scattered amongst some of Nathan's Sonics team members at various tables.

"Here you go." Tony handed them their drinks.

Nathan clanked his bottle with Brooke and Tony's. "Let the party begin."

* * *

"God, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

Haley couldn't help but agree with Lindsey. The pair was sitting on the couches by the front window. "I know. It's been too long. But I'm so glad you could make it for Nathan's birthday. I know that Nathan is really happy to see Tony."

Both women looked off to the side where Tony and Nathan were talking with their teammates. The smile that lit up Nathan's face warmed Haley's heart. This was what she'd wanted. For his birthday to be special and for him to be surrounded by people who loved and cared for him.

"Tony's missed him. I think all of the guys have. How's his knee doing?"

"It's healing well. The doctor and physical therapist said that Nathan could finally start playing basketball again."

"Does he think he'll be ready by the time the new season starts?"

"He's hoping he will be. And seeing as though my husband is one of the most determined people I know, I don't doubt him."

"And what about you? How are you feeling, mom-to-be?"

"Honestly, my back is soar, I'm getting fat, I can't stop peeing, and the baby is kicking like crazy. Other than that, I'm great."

Lindsey laughed. "Well, you look like you're glowing to me."

"Thank you."

"And I believe Nathan told Tony that you're having a boy."

"We are."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"Your due date must be getting close. Have you decided whether you want a natural childbirth or not?"

"Not. I'm going with the epidural. My sister had a natural one, and she said never again."

"If I were you, I'd go with the drugs, too." Lindsey sipped her wine. "Some women can handle it, but I know I wouldn't want to feel a thing."

"What about you? What have you and Tony been up to?" Haley questioned.

"Mostly we've been enjoying his time home. We didn't really go to any big events this summer. He kind of wanted to relax and stay out of the limelight for a while. We might go to a couple of charity events in August, though," Lindsey said. "And when we're not relaxing, I've been working my butt off editing."

"Any new bestsellers in the making?"

"I'm hoping so. It takes time and hard work. I swear, I not only have to be an editor but a therapist, too. Authors can get so worked up and sensitive sometimes. But I love nurturing their talent."

"I was actually tutoring at the high school here for a few months. I met some really great kids. It was much more personal meeting with them one-on-one. You tend to hear their life stories, too. It feels good making a difference with them, though."

"It does," Lindsey agreed. She stared out over the crowd until her eyes landed on someone. Lindsey nodded to the right, and it took a minute for Haley to realize that she was motioning to Brooke. "How has she been doing?"

"I gather that you've read the tabloids and all that."

"I read some stuff online. I refuse to buy the magazines and give my money to those vultures."

"What was the latest thing that you heard?" Haley curiously inquired.

"Just that she and Lucas had broken up and Brooke had moved back to New York. Is he doing any better?"

"No. I mean, I don't think so. I haven't seen Lucas in a while. I left him a message about Nathan's party and told him he was welcome to come. But as you can see, he's not here."

"A lot of athletes can get really angry and depressed when their careers are taken away like that. But Lucas seemed like such a nice guy when I met him. He didn't seem like the type to go off the deep end like that."

"I know. That's what makes it even worse. Lucas, after all he's been through in his life, has never acted out like this. It's so unlike him."

"Poor Brooke," Lindsey mumbled, shaking her head. "She must be taking the breakup pretty hard. And I'm sure it's difficult for Nathan to see his brother like that."

Haley watched as Brooke talked with Peyton and Karen. She was laughing, but Haley could tell that the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Despite her time away from Tree Hill, it wasn't hard to see that Brooke was still broken inside.

"It bothers him. Nathan's been trying to talk to Lucas, but it hasn't been going so well. He's doing what he can. But I was surprised when Brooke said she'd come to the party," Haley admitted. "I thought it'd be too hard for her to come back. She's still dealing with everything. But then again, I shouldn't be so surprised since Brooke is such a selfless and loyal friend. She'd want to be here for Nathan and me."

"Well, she's really lucky to have friends like the two of you. Quite honestly, I can't wait until you guys come back to Seattle. Tony and I have missed you." Lindsey looked over at the guys, who were still talking. "Has Nathan started his contract negotiations yet?"

Haley felt her stomach sink at that. "No, not yet."

"I'm sure they'll start soon. There's no way the Sonics won't want him back."

Haley bit her lip and did her best to squelch the uneasiness building within her. "I'm sure you're right."

* * *

"So I'm dancing with this girl at a club. The next thing I know, another chick even hotter than her comes up and starts grinding on me from behind. Now I'm thinking that this can't get any better, right? Well, wrong. Two minutes later, I've got both women licking their lips at me and pulling me into the bathroom. It was hands down one of the best nights of my life."

Nathan and Tony chuckled as they heard their teammate Gary telling some of the guys about his latest conquest. Gary was a nice guy but definitely a ladies man. He was always talking about a new woman every week. Sometimes more than one when the basketball season started up.

"Those were the days, weren't they, Nate? Being the hottest guy in the room and getting propositioned by tons of beautiful women just waiting to do all kinds of naughty and most likely illegal things to you," Tony jokingly reminisced.

"What are you talking about? I'm still the hottest guy in the room," Nathan declared, smirking. "And I still get propositioned."

"Oh yeah, when?"

"Last year. Some woman showed up in my hotel room."

"You mean the crazy girl you had security remove?"

"No, this was another one."

Tony's eyes widened, all kidding aside. "What happened?"

"She was only wearing my jersey and said she was my biggest fan. What do you think happened?" he said suggestively, trying not to laugh at his friend's shocked expression.

"Really?" Tony lowered his voice. "Does Haley know?"

"Yeah, she does."

"What happened when she found out? I know Haley. How are you alive right now?"

Nathan smirked. "Look at my wife's stomach. That's your answer."

It took Tony a minute to process Nathan's words and work through his confusion. "Huh? Oh." The realization hit him. "The woman was Haley."

"Of course it was. What'd you think?" Nathan replied in mock offense.

"Damn, Big Time. You had me there for a minute."

"Please, I would never do that to Haley. And if I ever was a cheating bastard, you're right. She'd kill me."

"I'd never do that to Lindsey, either. And I see how sickeningly in love you and Haley are. If you guys can't make it, the rest of us are screwed."

Nathan chuckled and took a few swigs of beer.

"I heard your recovery is going well. You feeling strong again?"

"I'm getting there."

"Good. We're going to need you this season. God only knows what's going to happen."

"What do you mean?" Nathan asked, frowning. There was a worrisome tone to Tony's voice.

"There's been some talk about the team. I don't know what's going on."

"Talk about what?"

"Some big change or new deal. I don't know. Management won't tell us anything yet."

Nathan suddenly felt knots forming in his stomach. "I haven't heard any of this." He glanced over at Clay talking to Skills, Jake, and Keith. As his agent, Clay was supposed to be on top of this stuff. Nathan wondered why he hadn't heard anything. And if Clay had, why hadn't he told Nathan? He was just about to go over and talk to him when Haley crossed his path.

"Hey, Birthday Boy. It's time for cake." She kissed his cheek and led him over to the table with the giant decorated cake on top of it. His mother was already lighting the candles as everyone began to converge around him.

He felt Haley take his hand and lead everyone in singing him "Happy Birthday." Nathan did his best to focus on the moment, standing in front of the magnificent lit cake surrounded by family and friends. Just as the song was coming to an end, Nathan found himself looking out the front windows of the café and doing a double take.

Standing in the dim light of a lamp across the street was Lucas. The pale light cast an eerie glow on Lucas's skin, making him appear more like a phantom than a person. Nathan stared at him for a moment, slightly stunned, with his brother staring right back. Motioning discreetly with his head and sending him an encouraging look, Nathan silently implored him to cross the street and join them.

A car passed by on the street. In the next instant Lucas was gone. The halo of light on the sidewalk where he stood was suddenly whole, looking as if nothing had distorted its form in the first place.

It wasn't until Haley nudged him and said, "Make a wish," that Nathan realized the singing had stopped. He glanced down at his illuminated cake. What should he wish for? All of a sudden he wasn't so sure anymore. His mind blank, Nathan bent down to blow out the candles. The flames flickered and then went out, leaving behind a black wick and smoke in their wake.


	41. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

"Nice shot."

Nathan grabbed the basketball and looked to his right. Clay was standing off to the side of the River Court, watching him. "Thanks. I could be better but…"

"For someone with your injury, you're doing great," Clay told him.

"If by great you mean I can just barely sink a shot and jog up and down the court, then I guess you're right."

"No one said it would be easy. But you're Nathan Scott. When do you ever let anything stop you?"

"Never."

"That's the spirit, Nate," Clay enthused, giving him a thumbs-up, and walked onto the court.

Nathan shook his head, chuckling. "You're such a dork sometimes."

"Did you call me out here for a reason or just to insult me?" Clay joked.

"There's a reason. I was talking to Tony and some of the other guys at my birthday party."

"That must've been nice for you, seeing everyone after the time away."

"It was, but I found out something. Or at least, I think it's something. I'm not quite sure."

Clay frowned and motioned for Nathan to pass him the ball. "What do you mean?"

"Tony said that there is a rumor going around that management is in the middle of negotiating some kind of deal. I asked the others, and they'd heard it, too, but no one seems to know what it's about," Nathan explained. "Did you know about this?"

"Yes, I did." Clay shot the ball at the basket. It rolled around the rim and then went in.

"Well, what's going on?"

"I don't know."

"Clay, you're my agent. It's your job to—"

"I've been asking around just like everyone else. And like everyone else, I haven't gotten any answers. It's all very secretive right now. But I promise that as soon as I hear something, I'll let you know."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Because there wasn't much to tell, and I didn't want you worrying. It's your job to focus on your rehab. I'll handle the rest."

"Has there been any mention about renewing my contract?"

"I've brought it to the table, but no formal offers or negotiations have taken place yet. But it's okay. There's still plenty of time."

"Unless they don't want me now that I'm damaged goods," Nathan muttered, taking the ball from Clay.

"You're not damaged goods. You know just as well as I do that injuries happen to the best of players, and they manage to get through it and go back out on that court. It will be the same for you," Clay stated confidently. "As long as you follow your rehab routine and don't push yourself too much."

"I haven't. I'm frustrated, but I know not to overdo it."

"Good."

"Yo, Nate, you ready for us to school your ass today or what?" a loud voice called. It was Quentin and Jack. Sometimes it still felt weird to Nathan to see the two of them together. There had been so much tension between them before. The fact that they were friends now showed just how quickly things in life could change.

"Who are they?" Clay asked.

"Q, Jack, this is my agent Clay," Nathan introduced. "Clay, Q and Jack are players for my high school basketball team."

"It's nice to meet you," Clay said and shook their hands.

"They've been coming to the court almost every day and helping me practice."

"It's not every day that a couple of high school ballers get to be a part of an NBA comeback," Q said.

"It's also nice to turn the tables for once," Jack added jokingly. "Nathan really goes to town with that whistle of his."

"How is Nathan at coaching?" Clay inquired, grinning curiously.

"It's the same as with Whitey. It sucks," Quentin answered, smirking. "So, can you play, Jerry Maguire, or do you just sit behind a desk all day and talk on a phone?"

Clay wore a smirk of his own. "Just because I'm an agent doesn't mean that I don't have some skill of my own." He rolled up his sleeves and placed his phone in his pocket. Afterward, Clay motioned for the ball in Nathan's hand. Nathan tossed it to him, and Clay took a shot. The ball sailed through the air and right into the basket.

"Not bad. Not bad," Quentin admitted. "But can you do this?" Jack had the ball and set it up for Quentin to slam dunk it into the basket. He hung off the rim for a few seconds, cheering loudly.

"Whoa," Clay whispered to Nathan. "How old is he?"

"He's going to be a senior next year."

Clay was still staring at Quentin as he and Jack took turns shooting the ball. "Damn, that other kid is fast."

Nathan smirked. "Scouting for some new talent?" Clay looked like a kid in a candy store.

"I think so. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on them."

"So, do you ladies want to play or finish up your afternoon tea?" Quentin challenged once he and Jack stopped shooting around.

"In case you haven't noticed, Q tends to be kind of cocky."

Clay raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Nathan. "Oh, it's on."

* * *

"I don't know."

"Haley, that dress is adorable."

Haley spun around, glancing at herself in the mirror. She was at the mall with Brooke and Peyton. They'd decided to have a girls day and go shopping. Unfortunately, Haley wasn't in the best of moods. Watching as Brooke and Peyton tried on various outfits, Haley couldn't help but notice their slim bodies and tiny waists. She remembered when she used to be like that and was suddenly depressed. Her body had changed so much. As the weeks passed and she got bigger, Haley felt more like Violet from _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_, when she blew up like a blueberry, than her usual self.

After Brooke and Peyton had made their purchases, they'd dragged Haley to a maternity store. There were some outfits Haley liked, but she didn't feel like trying them on. She really didn't want to look at herself in the mirror. But since Brooke always got her way, Haley ended up in the dressing room anyway.

"I look like a whale."

"You do not. You look hot, Tutor Mom."

"I love it," Peyton added encouragingly.

Haley sighed. "You guys, I'm just not feeling this today. Can't we go somewhere else?"

"Haley, we're doing retail therapy."

"Well, retail therapy is making me more depressed," she complained, glancing at herself once more in the mirror. "I'm taking this off."

"Try on the red one next."

"I'm sorry, Tigger, but I'm done. No more clothes."

"But—" Haley shut the door to the changing room before Brooke could finish her sentence. She changed back into her original clothes, all the while aware of her friends' urgent whispering on the other side of the door.

"Okay, so you don't want to shop. Why don't we just head out for lunch or something?" Brooke suggested. "My treat."

"For once I'm not all that hungry."

"Or we could see a movie," Peyton stated.

Haley shrugged, not feeling that either.

"Well, what do you want to do?" Brooke inquired.

"Lie in bed and pull the covers up over my head."

"Not exactly the answer I was hoping for."

"I'm sorry. I'm just not in a good mood today," Haley apologized and yawned. "Honestly, I could use a nap. I'm exhausted."

"I have an idea," Peyton announced. "Why don't we go back to my apartment? That way, Haley, you can take a nap for a while."

"What about you guys?"

"In the meantime, we can get everything together that we'll need for an at-home spa treatment. I'm talking facials, mani/pedis, the works…what do you say?"

Peyton and Brooke stared at her hopefully. Finally she replied, "That actually sounds good."

"Great!" Brooke exclaimed and clapped her hands together. "Let's go, Tutor Mom. Before you know it, we'll have that frown turned upside down."

* * *

Haley had to admit that she was feeling better—much better—since they arrived at Peyton's apartment. As soon as Haley's head hit the mattress in Peyton's room, she'd fallen asleep. She knew she'd been tired but that's when the full force of her exhaustion had hit her. A couple of hours must've passed, because she'd woken up just when the sun was starting to set.

Peyton and Jake's new apartment was neither too small nor too big. It had been very plain when they'd first bought it, but Peyton had instantly changed that. There were various drawings and paintings hung on the walls. It almost looked like the apartment was a mini gallery. It had a very different, artsy vibe. Haley thought that it was very Peyton. Jake also had some of his things on display—like his guitar and some autographed concert memorabilia.

After waking, Haley had gone into the living room to find everything already set up. Brooke and Peyton were in the kitchen, chatting. When they noticed Haley, the makeovers began. Haley was currently sitting on the couch with her head back. She wore a mud mask with slices of cucumbers over her eyes while Brooke filed and polished her nails. It was very relaxing and exactly what Haley had needed today.

"If you had to choose, who would you rather sleep with, Superman or Spider-Man?" Brooke had started a random game of questions. It seemed the longer they played the wackier the questions became.

"I don't know," Haley heard Peyton mumble. "I guess I'd have to go with Spider-Man."

"Why?"

"Because boy geniuses who can climb walls and shoot webs are hot."

"I'm going to have to disagree with you, P. Sawyer. I say Superman all the way."

"And why would you choose him?"

"Because he can fly, see through objects, has super strength, and a rock-hard bod."

"Spider-Man has a chiseled body," Peyton pointed out.

"But you have got to wonder what other S_uper_ assets he has. And if they call him the Man of Steel, he must have a really hard—"

"Brooke!" Peyton exclaimed before she could finish. Haley laughed out loud.

"I'm just saying." Brooke didn't sound the least bit embarrassed. "What about you, Haley? Who would you choose?"

Haley thought for a moment and answered, "Batman."

"You can't. He's not an option."

"He should be."

"Why?"

Haley thought back to Halloween a couple of years ago. One of Nathan's teammates had thrown a huge costume party at his house. It had taken Nathan a while to decide on his costume, but eventually he chose to be Batman. He had looked so strong and sexy in the dark, chiseled suit. Nathan even wore black makeup around his eyes, which Haley found to be a surprising turn on. To match him, Haley had gone as the beautiful and seductive Poison Ivy. When they got home that night, let's just say the party hadn't ended.

"Why are you smiling?" Peyton spoke up.

"No reason. Next question," Haley said, thanking God for the mask on her face. If she didn't have it, her friends surely would've seen the deep red blush coloring her cheeks. Thankfully, they didn't press her further about the issue.

Brooke continued, "If you were going to have a lesbian crush on someone, would you choose Megan Fox or…Scarlett Johansson?"

"But we're not lesbians," Haley reminded her.

"Hence the 'if' part of the question," Brooke emphasized. "Let's hear it, ladies."

"Scarlett Johansson," Haley and Peyton replied in unison.

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's gorgeous. Megan Fox might be hot but she seems like a bitch."

"Language," Haley warned but nodded. "And I agree."

"I'd go with Megan Fox. _Witch_ or not she seems like she'd be dynamite in the sack."

"Can we talk about something else? This game is starting to get creepy," Haley interjected.

"You guys are no fun." There was a pout in Brooke's voice.

"I have a question, B. Davis."

"Fire away, Goldilocks."

"Are you really going back to New York after this week?"

There was complete silence as Haley, along with Peyton, waited for Brooke's reply.

"Yes. Work has been crazy, and I have to get back. I'm lucky I could even take the week off." Although she couldn't see, Haley could imagine Brooke's blank look and averted gaze. She wouldn't want them to see just how hard this trip back to Tree Hill was for her. Of course Haley and Peyton knew better.

"Has it really made you happier?" Peyton proceeded to prod.

"Clothes are my life. What do you think?"

"Honestly, I think you're still hurting."

Brooke stopped painting Haley's nails. "What are you getting at, Peyton?" Her voice was hard.

"I just want to make sure that you're okay. I know how you can sometimes bury yourself in things to escape and then not deal with—"

"Well, I'm fine," Brooke cut in. "So you don't need to worry about me."

The tension in the room was thick as they all sat in silence.

"Look," Peyton began. "I just—

"New question: Who would you rather be stuck on a deserted island with, Jack Sparrow or Jack Shephard?" Brooke interrupted in a determined voice and took Haley's hand again.

Their previous discussion was officially closed.

* * *

Nathan knocked on the door in front of him and waited. He heard some shuffling around before it was opened. Lucas stood in the doorway and sighed.

"Is it really that hard for you people to call before you show up?"

"If I did that, I might never see you again." Nathan observed Lucas's appearance. His hair was mussed, his clothes wrinkled, and there were dark circles under his eyes. The only improvement that Nathan could note was that his brother was sober. "Can I come in?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No." Nathan had gone there for a reason today, and he wasn't going to leave until Lucas heard him out.

Lucas stepped aside. "So what is it I've done wrong this time?"

"You didn't do anything wrong." Nathan followed Lucas into the living room, toward the kitchen.

"So this is a social call, then?" Lucas didn't seem like he believed it much.

"I saw you across the street at my birthday party, you know."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Luke, don't bullshit me. I saw you."

Lucas turned away from him and headed for the makeshift bar on the counter. "I need a drink."

_So much for him being sober._ "Luke, why didn't you come inside?"

"It doesn't matter." He started to open a wine bottle.

"It does to me." Nathan grabbed the glass away from Lucas and dumped it down the sink.

"Hey!"

"You don't need this shit, Luke. You're better than this."

"No, I'm not. I'm nothing."

"That's not true."

"Look at me, Nathan!" Lucas exclaimed. "Really look at me. I'm ruined. My basketball career is gone, I'm tabloid fodder, and I'm all alone."

"And whose fault is that? When you drink and party nonstop, you know the press is going to be all over you. There's nothing they love better than to see a person of importance self-destruct," Nathan pointed out. "And although Brooke loves you, she was not going to stand by and watch you do that to yourself."

"Can we not talk about her?" Lucas huffed and flopped onto the couch.

"You are wrong about one thing, though." Nathan sat next to Lucas.

"And what is that?"

"You're not alone. We all still love you and want to help you get back on track."

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. And you showing up at my party proves that."

"It doesn't prove anything. I didn't go in."

"Maybe not," Nathan acknowledged, "but you were close enough. The fact that you even left the house and almost came shows that you're tired of being alone. You're tired of being the only one on the outside. Whether you're ready to admit it or not, you want to be the man that you were. The man that we all know you can be."

When Lucas didn't respond, Nathan added, "It's why my son's middle name is going to be Lucas."

Lucas's head snapped up at that. "What?"

"You've always been a good guy, Luke. Even when I hated you in high school, I knew deep down that you were someone of integrity. I didn't want to, but I admired you for it. You've been that honorable person all of your life," Nathan told him. "You were someone I could look up to, and you'll be that same person for my son."

"Nathan—"

"It's why Haley and I have decided to make you James's godfather."

"James?"

"Yeah." Nathan chuckled softly. "We finally picked a name for the baby."

Lucas hesitated. "Nathan, I—"

"Don't say anything. Just think over everything I've said. When you're ready to get your life back, we'll all be waiting."

* * *

Checking his watch, Nathan let out a sigh. Clay was supposed to meet him ten minutes ago for lunch. If Nathan drank any more coffee, he was going to be bouncing in his seat from the caffeine. It was Clay who had wanted to see him. The least the guy could do was be on time.

"Would you like some more coffee?" the waitress asked.

Nathan shook his head. "No thanks."

"Can I get you anything to eat?"

"No. I'll just wait until my friend arrives."

"Okay, then." The woman began to walk away but glanced back at the last second. "You're so much hotter than you are on TV, by the way." With a flirtatious wink, she continued on her way, her hips sashaying back and forth with a little too much force.

_Never mind the coffee, I need a beer_, Nathan thought. He looked out at the water below. Clay had asked Nathan to meet him at a restaurant located on the Market Street Dock. It was one of Nathan's favorite places. He'd taken Clay here once, and his friend had seemed to really like it. Now if only he'd show up.

Another five minutes passed before Clay finally arrived. "Hey, sorry I'm late."

"I was about to give up on you."

"I had to make a quick stop on the way here."

"For what?"

"There's this college football player that I want to represent. He's going pro next year. The kid is really talented. He's going to be huge."

"I see how it is. Out with the old and in with the new."

"Come on, Nate, you know you'll always be my number one," Clay joked.

"And don't you forget it."

The pair laughed.

"Here you are," the waitress said as she passed a menu to Clay. She turned to Nathan afterward. "Do you know what you want?"

"Not yet. We'll need a few minutes."

"Sure. Is there anything else you'd like to drink?"

"I'll take a beer."

"Coming right up." Her voice was low and sultry.

Nathan kept his eyes on his menu. Maybe then she'd take the hint. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. And you?"

"I'll have a beer, too," Clay ordered and watched as she walked away. He didn't even try to hide his grin. "She seems…friendly. Then again, they always are with you. I swear, man, you're a better chick magnet than a puppy."

"Well, that is my mission in life. I exist solely to help you score chicks," Nathan said. "Except for the part where I'm an NBA player, and you asked me here because you have some news to tell me."

"Someone's impatient."

"Someone was late," Nathan fired back.

"Touché." Clay placed down his menu to look at Nathan. "I made some calls this week to the Sonics to find out what's going on."

"And did you find out anything?"

"There's good news and bad news. Which would you like first?"

"Just tell me, Clay."

"Okay. The good news is that you will have a new contract for next season."

Nathan felt a brief moment of relief. He'd been worried that with his injury, his chances of staying with his team might have diminished. "And the bad news?" he questioned cautiously.

Clay hesitated for a moment and took a large sip of his water. He shifted in his seat, a nervous habit of his, until finally meeting Nathan's gaze. "The bad news is that you're not exactly going to be a Sonic anymore."


	42. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

_**June 29, 2012**_

"Very good, class. Now everyone get into your positions."

Haley checked her watch. Lamaze class had started thirty minutes ago, and Nathan still hadn't shown up. She'd tried calling him, but he wasn't answering his phone. Luckily Peyton and Brooke had dropped her off after their lunch together and decided to stay with her until Nathan showed up. Since he never did, they'd sat through the class with Haley.

"Um…" Haley trailed off, looking between her friends. This was usually the part when the women and their partners sat close together and practiced breathing techniques.

"I'll be the guy," Peyton volunteered. She positioned the pillow in front of her and supported Haley as she sat back.

"Okay, everyone, once you are comfortable you can begin. This exercise is to help mom count her way through a contraction. So take your partner's hand," the instructor said. "You are going to count down from ten slowly. Remember to encourage breathing. You are helping mom weather the pain."

Brooke held out her hand for Haley to take. "I'll help you count off."

"Thank you guys for staying with me. I don't know what happened to Nathan. I hope he's okay," Haley said worriedly.

"I'm sure he's fine. He probably just got caught up with something. You know how guys are," Brooke reassured her.

"You ready?" Peyton asked.

Casting her thoughts about Nathan aside, Haley tried to focus on the task in front of her. "Yes." Haley inhaled, controlling her breathing as Brooke counted down.

"Good," Brooke coached. "Breathe in and out."

"Hee hee hoo…hee hee hoo," Haley muttered in time with Brooke. She also heard Peyton encouraging her. Haley was trying her hardest to concentrate on them and the exercise, but her mind couldn't completely forget about Nathan. It wasn't like him to miss a class. Where was he, and why wasn't he calling her back?

Brooke squeezed her hand. "Come on, Haley. You have to focus."

"Hee hee hoo…hee hee hoo." Haley was doing well for a while until thoughts of Nathan consumed her once more. Suddenly she felt a slight, sharp pain in her abdomen. "Ow."

"What's the matter?" Peyton asked.

Brooke looked concerned. "Did I squeeze your hand too hard?"

Haley took a minute to get her bearings. Just as quickly as the pain had come, it had disappeared. "No, I'm fine."

Peyton shifted. "You sure? Do you need a more comfortable position or—"

"No. This position is fine." Haley placed her hand back in Brooke's and leaned on Peyton. The baby had probably kicked her a little harder than usual. That was all. "Everything is fine."

She smiled at her friends encouragingly and told Brooke to count off once more. Then she went back to breathing.

* * *

Haley was rushing around the house in a frenzy. She'd just finished cleaning the kitchen and had started on the living room. No matter how many times she rearranged the pillows on the couch they just didn't look right. Haley knew that she was being ridiculous. The position of the pillows wasn't all that important, but she just couldn't seem to sit still.

After Peyton and Brooke had taken Haley home from Lamaze class, she'd tried calling Nathan again. For the third time that afternoon her call went straight to voice mail. Haley was really starting to get nervous. Something had been bothering Nathan all week; she could sense it.

He'd seemed on edge and distracted most days. Haley had asked him about it, but he kept saying that everything was fine. His explanation was that his rehab was getting more intense and taking a lot out of him. Haley would've believed him if she hadn't run into Quentin the other day. He'd said that Nathan was making an improvement on the basketball court. He was looking and playing much stronger than before. If anything, Nathan should be proud.

It occurred to her that Nathan was a perfectionist when it came to basketball. He always expected so much of himself. This recovery was a long, slow process. All Nathan wanted was to finally return to his normal self. If he wasn't recovering at the pace he wanted, then that could make him feel frustrated. But Haley got the feeling that her husband's distance this week went beyond his injury.

Nathan missing their Lamaze class was all the proof she needed. He would never have forgotten about it unless something was seriously bothering him, which was why she couldn't stop cleaning at the moment. Haley needed to stay busy, or she would go insane.

She moved around the living for several more minutes until the fatigue took over. It had been plaguing her all week. Making her way to the couch, another small pain coursed through her abdomen. It must've been the fifth time today she'd felt it. It was definitely time for a rest.

Haley sat down and laid her head back. Her eyes naturally started to close. Her mind was teetering on the edge of consciousness, ready to succumb to the alluring darkness, when she heard the garage door. Haley's eyes snapped open, and she sat up when she heard Nathan enter the house.

"Hales," he called.

"In the living room."

"Hi, baby," Nathan greeted and leaned down to kiss her.

"Where were you today?"

"Why? What happened?" He plopped down next to her.

"We had Lamaze class today."

His brow furrowed in confusion. "We did?"

"Yeah. I tried calling you, but your phone was off."

Nathan swore under his breath. "I'm sorry, Hales. My phone wasn't off. It had died so I left it in the car to charge."

"Where were you?"

"I had lunch with Clay. I guess I lost track of time." He noticed how upset she was and placed a hand on her back. "Hales, I'm really sorry."

"Brooke and Peyton stayed with me, so I wasn't alone."

Nathan smiled. "Good."

"What is going on, Nathan? Something has been off all week, and then you miss class today. It's not like you."

"I know. It's just that I'd talked to Tony and the guys at my birthday party and found out that something was up with the team."

"What was it?"

"Nobody knew exactly. I'd just heard that the Sonics were negotiating some kind of a deal. I wasn't sure if it had something to do with me and not renewing my contract," Nathan explained. "I thought maybe they were looking for someone else to fill my position."

Haley, her annoyance quickly shifting to concern, placed her hand in his. "Nathan…"

"It's okay. It wasn't about me. I actually found out from Clay today that the team wants to renew my contract."

"Oh," Haley muttered. "That's, um…that's good."

"I know but…" he trailed off.

"But what?" Haley prodded.

"There's more, Haley," he said, feeling somewhat uneasy all of a sudden. "Clay found out what the deal was. The Sonics want me back, but it turns out that the team will be relocating."

"I don't understand."

"The Seattle SuperSonics are going to become the Oklahoma City Thunder. Basically the whole franchise is moving to Oklahoma. Well, the team is moving. I guess the Sonics logo and colors will remain in Seattle"

Haley felt like a rug had been pulled out from under her at his words. "W-why?"

"I don't know all of the details—Clay is still looking into it—but I guess it has something to do with the KeyArena. The owners think it's outdated according to NBA standards and that the team will do better in Oklahoma—where they're based, actually."

"Won't the people of Seattle be really pissed about this?"

"Clay found out that the city already filed a lawsuit against the Sonics and is trying to hold the team to the arena's lease. But he thinks there will ultimately be a settlement, and the team will be moving to Oklahoma either way."

Nathan watched his wife's face carefully. She hadn't said anything in the last couple of minutes, and the way she was biting her lip was making him a bit nervous. He figured that she would be a little shocked after his announcement, but he hoped that she would understand. In fact, he knew she would. She always supported him no matter what. She just needed some time to process it all. That was it.

"Hales," Nathan said after another moment of silence passed. "Say something."

"I don't know what to say."

"Well, what are you thinking?"

She bit her lip again and looked down at her hands. He noticed her twirling her wedding band around her finger. That wasn't usually a good sign.

"Is this a definite thing? Is it really going to happen?"

"Yes," he answered.

Haley shook her head. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I…I can't," she stated. "We can't."

"Can't what?"

"We can't go through with this."

"I don't understand." Nathan let her words register in his mind. He still wasn't quite sure what she meant. "Haley, we don't really have a choice."

"I wanted to tell you this before. I was going to tell you about this before…well, all of this stuff happened. But it never seemed like the right time and then I just sort of pushed it to the back of my mind and—"

"Haley, you're rambling. What's going on?"

"Nathan, I don't want to go," she repeated.

"Haley, what are you talking about? You knew that this would happen eventually."

"Yes, I knew, but it's not what I wanted. And I certainly didn't expect this new development. This completely changes things, Nathan."

"No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does, Nathan. It changes everything."

"Haley, this is my career we're talking about," he reminded her. He couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. He hadn't seen this coming at all.

"I know that. And you know that I've always supported you. But I can't pretend this time that it doesn't affect me."

"'This time'?" he repeated. "Meaning you didn't like it the last time?"

"Nathan—"

"What exactly have you been pretending to feel, Haley?" he bit out.

"Nathan, please don't be angry. I didn't mean it like that."

"No, I think that's exactly how you meant it. And apparently you've been lying to me about your feelings for the last three years. So yeah, I think I have the right to be angry at the moment." He stood up and faced the wall while running his hand through his hair.

"Nathan, all I'm saying is that this place has always felt like home to me. And for a while I was able to forget how much I missed it. But now…"

"Now what?" he prodded.

"Now it's not so easy. Now I know where I belong. Where _we_ belong. It's right here."

He turned to face her. "I can't believe I'm hearing this. I can't believe you're telling me this now."

"I'm sorry, but I can't lie."

"You could before."

"I didn't lie," Haley objected. "I was so happy for you. I was so proud of you. I wanted you to have everything you worked so hard for."

"And now you want to take it all away. Is that it?" Nathan accused.

"Of course not. But if we do this, then I'm not going to be happy. Don't you think I matter in any of this?"

"You'll adjust."

"It's not that simple, Nathan," she argued, "and you know it."

"What do you want me to do, Haley? Huh?" he challenged, his voice rising. "This is my team we're talking about. We're building something. I can't turn my back on it."

"And what about me, Nathan? I'm your wife. What about our family? Doesn't that matter at all to you?" Haley threw back, her volume matching his. She stood up, as well.

"Of course it does. But I thought everything was fine up until a couple of minutes ago. Now you've turned everything upside down and backwards."

"Oh, so you can make big life changes for us, but I can't tell you how I feel?"

"It's a feeling, Haley. It'll pass, and you'll get over it. You're just overwhelmed."

"Yes, I'm overwhelmed! You just came to tell me instead of discussing it with me first. Of course that's upsetting!"

"Well, it's not my fault, since I thought you were okay with everything. I'm so sorry I'm not a mind reader!"

"Well, now you know," she shouted.

"It doesn't change the fact that we have to go along with this."

"No, we don't. There are other options out there for you, Nathan."

"I don't want any other options."

"Why are you being so stubborn? Why won't you even consider just—"

"Because what you're asking me to do could put my whole career in jeopardy!"

"So I don't matter at all? Gee, thanks, Nathan. That's really great."

"Don't put this on me."

"You're the one apparently making all of the decisions here. And since you're doing so well on your own, why don't you just go on without me!"

"Maybe I will!" Nathan yelled back.

Haley suddenly turned her back to him. But not before Nathan saw the unshed tears glistening in her eyes. He heard her sniffle a moment later. "Excuse me," she said and left the room.

Nathan flinched when he heard the bathroom door slam down the hall. He took a seat on the couch and placed his head in his hands. It's not like he'd been all that thrilled about the news he'd received earlier, but he was dealing with it. He had to. So many people were counting on him, and there was also his condition to consider. That had changed everything.

Then there was Haley. Nathan thought that she'd be surprised and maybe a little bit upset. He never expected the reaction that she'd had, though. He had absolutely no idea that she was so deeply attached to this place. She loved it; Nathan knew that. But he'd also been under the impression that she was happy before they came here. To find out the opposite was true now was a blow.

Nathan sighed. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He sat there for a while, thinking about it. It wasn't until he noticed the sun setting that he realized he hadn't heard Haley come out of the bathroom. Instantly he felt somewhat guilty. Despite everything he shouldn't have gotten her so upset. The stress wasn't good for her.

Nathan stood up and made his way down the hall. He knocked on the bathroom door gently. "Haley," he called. There was no answer. "Haley, open up."

He listened carefully but heard nothing. Normally he would assume that she was giving him the silent treatment. Considering he couldn't hear any crying or sniffling, it struck him as odd.

"Hales," Nathan repeated and knocked on the door. He heard a faint sound, almost like a whimper. "Haley?"

Nathan heard it again but louder. His whole body went rigid at her tone. Haley didn't sound sad or angry. She sounded like she was…in pain.

"Haley," he called, panicked, and opened the door. It was unlocked. He stepped inside and froze at the sight. "Oh my God."

Haley was lying on the floor in a fetal position, crying softly and clutching her stomach. Instantly he was by her side. "Haley, what's wrong? Did you fall?"

She shook her head and struggled to speak. "No. I don't know. It hurts."

Nathan reached into his back pocket for his cell phone and cursed. He'd left it in the damn car. "I'm going to get the phone and call an ambulance."

Haley whimpered, "Hurry."

Nathan ran back into the living room to grab the house phone. He was trying to move so fast that he was almost tripping over himself. He dialed 911 but ended up having to redial it again. His hands were shaking so bad he'd pushed the wrong numbers.

"911, please state your emergency?" answered a woman.

"Yes, I need an ambulance right away. My wife is pregnant, and she's lying on the floor in pain. There's something wrong," Nathan stated. He gave the operator their address while walking back toward the bathroom. He didn't want to leave Haley alone for long.

"What happened?"

"I don't know."

"Did she have an accident or fall?" the operator questioned.

"No."

"Is there any blood?"

Nathan knelt beside Haley and looked around. "I don't think so."

"Is she conscious?"

"Yes."

"Can you put her on the phone?"

Nathan took one look at Haley. She was awake, but obviously not thinking straight with the amount of pain she was in. "Look, just send the ambulance," he demanded, getting frustrated. "She's in a lot of pain, and our baby's life is possibly on the line. We don't have any damn time to talk."

"Sir, please calm down. Help is coming. I just need you to answer one more question for me. How far along is your wife?"

"U-um, eight months. The baby isn't supposed to be due until August."

"Okay, the paramedics are on their way."

Nathan hung up the phone and returned his attention back to Haley. He ran a hand through her hair. "Haley, the ambulance is on its way, okay? Just hang in there."

More tears ran down her face. "It hurts, Nathan. It hurts."

Nathan's whole body was shaking now. He didn't know if he'd ever been as scared as he was in this moment. But he had to remain calm—for Haley. "I know," he said. It took everything in him to keep his voice steady.

"If something happens—"

He brought his other hand to her face. "Nothing is going to happen. You're both going to be fine."

"If something happens," she continued, "I want you to put the baby first."

"Haley—"

"Promise me you'll put the baby first," she pleaded.

Nathan hesitated. Would it really come down to that? And if it did, would he be able to make that choice?

Nathan couldn't picture his life without Haley. Even if he tried, all he could see was this void of darkness. This short, feisty, kind-hearted woman who had driven him crazy from the first moment he'd met her had become the love of his life. His family. His best friend. She was as much a part of him as his own soul.

But their son was also a part of her. A part of _him_. Nathan had yet to meet him, but he already loved him. _They_ already loved him. James was their greatest creation. He was their future. As parents, it was their job to do everything in their power to protect him and keep him safe. Shouldn't he at least have a chance at life, too?

"Nathan," Haley urged.

Nathan stroked her cheek and tried not to choke on his words. "I promise."

* * *

It was raining outside. The sound of the water droplets could be heard against the building along with the slight rumbling of thunder in the sky. Nathan sighed and placed his head in his hands. As much as he usually loved the rain, nothing could make him feel better right now.

"Are you okay?"

Nathan recognized the voice instantly. He looked up to make sure that he wasn't hearing things; anything was possible at this point. Just as he thought, his brother Lucas was standing in front of him. "I really wish everyone would stop asking me that," Nathan mumbled.

"I'll take that as a no." Lucas sat in the seat beside him.

Nathan watched as a group of doctors and nurses passed by, tending to someone on a stretcher. They disappeared behind the ER doors. How he wished he could follow them. He needed to know what was going on. His whole life and everything he held dear were beyond those double doors.

"It's going to be okay, Nathan," Lucas said.

"I'm glad you think so."

"Nathan—"

"No offense, Luke, but I'm not in the mood for one of your pep talks right now," he cut him off. "You're the last person who should be giving advice to anyone." As soon as the words left his mouth, Nathan regretted them.

Lucas looked down at the ground with a resigned expression on his face. "I guess you're right."

Nathan sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I'm just…I can't think straight at the moment."

"Have you heard anything?" Lucas asked quietly.

"No," he answered with a shake of his head. The different scenarios started to replay over in his mind. Nathan could feel the tears building behind his eyes and held them back. Crying wouldn't do him any good now. "All I know is that this shouldn't be happening. It's all wrong."

"We don't know anything yet."

"You didn't see it happen. You didn't see how she looked. You weren't there." The anguish in his voice was potent.

"Haley's a strong woman. If anyone can get through something like this, it's her," Lucas encouraged.

"God, Luke, I don't know what to do." He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "If anything happens to her or—"

"Don't think like that. Okay? Don't make yourself sick until you know what's going on for sure."

Nathan placed his head in his hands, once again. It was all too much to take. Life never seemed to get any easier no matter how much time passed. "Have you ever had someone who was the best part of you?"

Lucas was silent for a moment. "Yes."

"You ever lose them?"

He drew in a shaky breath. "Yes."

Nathan glanced away when he noticed the pained expression on his brother's face. "Well, it doesn't have to be permanent for you," he said. "I'm surprised you're even here."

"I guess when something like this happens, it…well…it tends to put things into perspective," Lucas stated.

Nathan met his gaze and nodded in understanding. "Yeah, it does." He then added a second later, "Brooke's here."

That seemed to pique Lucas's interest. "Where?"

"She and Karen went to get some coffee and food. They'll probably be back soon."

"Oh." Nathan could tell that his brother was trying his best not to look like he cared. But it was obvious that the opposite was true.

The two were silent for a couple of minutes. Nathan watched the ER doors intently. He sat up in his chair when they opened, but the disappointment soon set in when a random nurse walked out.

"God, I hate hospitals," he muttered. Everything was so white and unsettling. All of these sick people in one place was depressing.

"Me, too," Lucas said.

"This is all my damn fault."

"Why would you say that?"

Nathan couldn't help but think about everything that had happened over the last several months. Everything had just kept building up. Today seemed to be the culmination of it all. "I'd rather not go into it right now."

Lucas nodded and let it go.

Several minutes passed until Nathan finally spotted the doctor. She was heading toward him. He felt a wave of relief followed by another bout of anxiety. Whatever she was about to tell him did not look like good news.


	43. Chapter 42

**Hey guys, thank you all so much for the reviews last chapter! I loved reading your comments. I'm going to be extremely busy over the next few days and didn't want you guys to have to wait too long for this next update. I know you're all anxious to find out what's going to happen. I apologize if any of the medical information is inaccurate. I've never been pregnant, and the last time someone in my family had a baby was when I was eight years old. Lol! So it's been a while. But I did do a lot of research and tried my best to get the details right. Anyway, please read and review! Thanks!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 42**

Finally Nathan was passing through the double doors to the ER. The doctor led him down a long corridor and turned a corner. Nathan's stomach was in knots as he followed her. She hadn't told him anything yet. All she'd said was that she wanted to explain everything to him and Haley together.

Nathan had nodded and looked behind him at his brother. Lucas motioned for him to go, his expression telling Nathan that he'd tell the others what was going on when they arrived. Nathan was thankful; all of his focus needed to be on Haley and the baby. There was no telling what was about to come next.

As they walked, Nathan's mind was bombarded by a barrage of worst-case scenarios. He kept picturing Haley's face; she had been in so much pain as she clutched her stomach and whimpered. Her next words had haunted him. Haley had made him promise to put the baby first. He'd agreed but now that he was in the hospital, he didn't know what he would do if it came down to that. It was all getting to be too much. Nathan didn't think he'd ever been so scared in his life.

The doctor led Nathan down another long corridor. He wished he knew where Haley was, so he could go himself. They were walking far too slow for his liking. Finally, the doctor stopped in front of a closed door.

"After you," she said.

Nathan didn't need to be told twice. He opened the door and walked inside. Haley was awake and lying still in the bed. Instead of her normal clothes she wore a hospital gown, which was halfway covered by the blankets placed over her. His eyes scrutinized her, searching for anything that might tell him what was wrong. Her hands were on her large stomach, and she looked both utterly exhausted and on edge.

In that moment Nathan wanted nothing more than to run over to her and take her in his arms. There was so much he had to tell her. So much he needed to make up for. But now was not the time for that. Instead of running to Haley's side, he remained standing at the foot of her bed. He was the reason why Haley was here in the first place. He didn't deserve to feel the comfort her touch would bring.

"How are you feeling, Haley?" the doctor asked, coming up behind him.

"A little bit better. What's going on? Will the baby be okay?"

"Yes. You and the baby are both fine."

Nathan released the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. Haley didn't look as convinced by the news.

Before she could interrupt, the doctor continued, "I know that you were very sick. You said that you had severe pain in your abdomen before you came in. You did the right thing by coming here and not taking any chances. Luckily, everything is actually okay."

"But the pain—" Nathan began.

"The pain that you experienced is something we refer to as Braxton Hicks contractions. They occur all throughout your pregnancy but can become more noticeable within your last trimester. Their purpose is to prepare the body for labor. They're actually very normal and can easily be mistaken for real labor pains."

"Are they always that severe?" Haley questioned.

"Sometimes the pain can be worse. It's different for every expectant mother, but most women tend to experience a higher level of discomfort and pain when they're stressed or getting either too much or too little exercise. Dehydration is a factor, as well," the doctor explained, staring at Haley's chart. "From what you told me, Haley, you were very upset before the contractions began. Is that correct?"

Haley briefly glanced at Nathan before answering, "Yes."

"It's my fault," Nathan spoke up. He looked at his wife, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. His guilt only increased.

"These things sometimes happen, but the best thing you can do is try to relax. All right, Haley?"

"Okay."

"And she has to stay overnight?" Nathan questioned.

"Yes," the doctor answered with a nod. "Her blood pressure is a little higher than usual, so I'd like to keep an eye on her. It's just a precaution, mind you, but it's better safe than sorry," she said. "While you're here, though, Haley, I want you to drink plenty of water. It would also be best if you lay on your left side. It'll give you and the baby more oxygen."

"Okay. Thank you, doctor," Haley replied and started to turn. The woman stepped forward to help her.

"And most importantly, relax," she advised. "Slow, deep breathing is usually the ticket." She turned to Nathan. "The same goes for you, too, Dad. In order for Mom and the baby to be calm, you must be, too. Your mood can affect her."

Nathan didn't say anything. He just nodded in understanding. Even when the doctor left, he still didn't speak. He watched Haley while trying to process it all.

Sighing, Haley reached for the control attached to her bed. That seemed to snap Nathan out of his stupor. "What are you doing?"

"I'm calling the nurse. I need water."

"I'll go get it," he offered.

"It's fine. It's their job. Besides, you'll have to go to them anyway."

Nathan accepted her explanation. The doctor told Haley to relax, and that's what she was going to do. Arguing over water would be stupid and cause more unnecessary stress. "Um, would you mind if I just stepped out for a moment? Everyone is out in the waiting room. They're worried and probably want to know what's going on."

"Sure." She was staring at the wall. "Go ahead."

Nathan hesitated a minute before leaving. He didn't go straight to the waiting room like he said. He stood outside Haley's room and ran his hands over his face, needing some time to collect himself. He didn't have it in him to face everyone just yet.

* * *

Haley opened her eyes and forgot for a moment where she was. She'd expected to wake up in her own room. It only took a few seconds for reality to come crashing down around her. The cream-colored walls, tiny bed, and machines beeping surely were not a part of her home. What she wouldn't give to be home right now—in her own bed and pajamas. But after the way she and Nathan left things, even home wouldn't be perfect.

Haley thought back to her fight with Nathan earlier. Almost instantly she felt herself filled with anxiety. She practiced her deep breathing like the doctor had said. Haley was supposed to remain calm, but she also found it utterly impossible not to rehash the events of the day. She hadn't really had a moment to herself to think about it. Being in the hospital in the middle of the night, there wasn't much else for her to do.

Haley had been worried when Nathan hadn't showed up for their Lamas class. It wasn't like him to miss something that important. She'd been worried about him the entire time. It was also when she'd first felt the pains in her stomach. Haley had chalked them up to her usual discomfort. Now she knew what they really were. Haley could see how everything had gone downhill from there.

Relief had flooded her when Nathan finally returned home. That relief was short-lived, however, when he told her about the Sonics wanting to renew his contract. A part of her was happy for Nathan. She knew how worried he was that his injury might effect the renegotiation process. But the other part of her felt an immense wave of disappointment. Seattle was okay, but it wasn't home to Haley. It was always raining and colder than she was used to. None of their friends or family lived there. Sure, they'd made some new friends but it wasn't the same. Aside from Lindsey, Tony, and Clay, Haley didn't think she'd really made strong connections with anyone else. Even her job wasn't what it used to be. Haley loved teaching, but the new principal at the high school was a very difficult woman. She found that she didn't enjoy going to work like before. At times she even dreaded it.

All of that had been difficult enough. When Nathan had dropped the bomb that the team was relocating to Oklahoma, something inside Haley had snapped. It was one thing to stay in Seattle. She was already familiar with Seattle. But moving to Oklahoma? Haley couldn't even picture it. All she knew was that she had this tremendous aversion to the idea. There was just no way that she could go through it all again.

Haley didn't want to move to a new city. She didn't want to find a new house. She didn't want to find a new job. She didn't want to have to make new friends. In short, she didn't want to start over. Not when she already knew where she wanted to be. Tree Hill had always been home, and she couldn't bear the thought of being stuck in another city that felt so foreign to her. There was also the baby to consider. If they did go to Oklahoma and lived there for the next few years, the baby would be older. If all their son knew was his life in Oklahoma, would another move be devastating to him? Would it be too late to move to Tree Hill after that? The transition might be even harder.

Everything about this move seemed like a bad idea to Haley. Her instincts were screaming against it. And when she'd told Nathan as much, his reaction had been the complete opposite. Nathan wanted to stay with the Sonics, regardless of the move. He'd looked so betrayed when Haley said that she didn't want to go along with it. It was like he'd been completely blindsided, and she supposed that he had been. Haley had never mentioned her feelings to Nathan. She'd kept putting off telling him, and now she'd paid the price for it. She didn't blame him for reacting the way that he did.

They hadn't had a fight that bad in a long time. There had been so much yelling; it was awful. Nathan had yelled about her ruining his career, and she had shouted about him not caring about her happiness. It still astounded Haley how everything could be fine one minute and then crumble the next. The icing on the cake was when Nathan had said he'd go on without her. Haley had been so angry and hurt. She couldn't breathe right. It had felt like she was suffocating in that room. She couldn't even bear to be near Nathan. It was too painful. The tears had started to spill before she even made it inside the bathroom.

She'd cried so hard. Haley didn't know how much time had passed, but it seemed like the longer she cried the stronger the pains in her stomach felt. The pains were coming quick and had gotten so bad that she couldn't stand anymore. The moment she was on the floor she knew that something was seriously wrong. All thoughts of basketball contracts and Oklahoma flew out of her mind. Her complete attention was on the baby and what was happening. She'd tried calling for Nathan, but her voice seemed to get stuck in her throat as the contractions intensified. Haley wasn't even sure if he'd hear her. He could be anywhere in the house or even had left.

Thankfully he had still been home and had checked on her. Haley was sure the horrified expression that had been on his face was a mirror image of her own. Nathan wasted no time calling an ambulance. While they waited, he'd stayed with her. The fight was forgotten, and all that mattered was the baby. Haley didn't even really remember the ride to the hospital. All she remembered was the excruciating pain. It felt like she was in a daze, unable to really focus on anything else. The doctor and nurses had run tests and examined her. It was a relief when the pain eventually started to subside. When she could think straight again, Haley demanded to know what was going on. She had to know if the baby was okay. That's all she cared about.

The doctor had then gone to get Nathan. It felt like forever before they made it to her room. Haley had thought Nathan would rush to her side to make sure she was okay. That's what she'd needed him to do. Instead he just stood at the end of her bed. The tension that had formed during their fight was suddenly back again, and Haley had to look away. It took everything in her not to cry for the second time that day. She tried to focus on the doctor as she explained about Braxton Hicks and how the baby would be fine. Haley didn't think she'd ever heard such good news in her life. The baby was her top priority and as long as he was okay, then nothing else mattered. Haley didn't even complain about having to stay at the hospital overnight. She agreed with the doctor; better to be safe than sorry.

"Are you okay?" She looked to her left and saw that Nathan was awake and staring at her with those concerned, piercing eyes of his. Visiting hours were long since over, but he had insisted on staying with her all night. Nathan had sat in the chair beside her bed, not saying much of anything. Mostly he just watched her until she'd drifted off.

"You should drink some more water," he said. "It's been a while. You have to stay hydrated."

Haley grabbed the cup out of his hand and took a few sips. She brushed a hand against her chin when she felt a drop slide down. It took a moment for her to realize that it wasn't the water spilling but her tears.

"Hales, what's the matter? Are you having more pains?" Nathan questioned, panicked. "Should I get the nurse?"

"No, it's not that." She shook her head, unable to squelch the wave of emotion that suddenly hit her.

"Then what is it?"

"Why won't you touch me?"

Nathan was thrown off by her question. "What?"

"You haven't laid a hand on me or hugged me or kissed me since I've gotten here."

"I didn't think you wanted me to touch you," he replied, looking pained at her words.

"Did you really mean what you said? You know, about going on without me."

Nathan pulled his chair right up to her bed and took her hand in his. The other rested on her bulging stomach. "No. Of course not. I was being an idiot, Hales. I wasn't thinking."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I wanted to stay in Tree Hill sooner. I—"

Nathan couldn't let her continue. He'd been replaying their fight over and over in his mind while she slept. The more he thought about it, the more Nathan knew that he'd been wrong to get so angry with Haley. "No, you have nothing to apologize for. You were being honest, just like you said."

"I don't want to ruin your career. I don't want to take anything away from you."

"Forget about my damn career. It doesn't even matter." Nathan's other hand lifted to caress her cheek. "It didn't even enter my mind when I saw you on that floor. All I cared about was making sure I didn't lose you or our son."

"Well, we're fine. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," he promised and closed the distance between them. Their lips met in a long, tender kiss. "God, I was so scared."

"You and me both."

"I'm sorry I reacted the way that I did. I—never mind. We shouldn't be talking about this. You need to rest."

"Nathan, I want us to talk."

"You heard what the doctor said. She wants you to relax," Nathan reminded her.

"I know, but I can't relax when so much is left unresolved. I'll feel better if we just talk and get everything out in the open," Haley said. She didn't want to spend the rest of the night with her feelings cooped up inside of her. It wouldn't do either of them any good.

Nathan hesitantly agreed. He still wasn't sure that they should be talking about everything now, but he wasn't going to argue with her. Haley tugged on his shirtsleeve and pushed over. Nathan let her guide him onto the bed next to her. Gathering her in his arms, Nathan held Haley for a few minutes. They were both silent as they sorted through their thoughts.

"Were you really that unhappy in Seattle?" Nathan finally spoke up.

"It wasn't necessarily awful. You were in the NBA, and I got my new job. I loved our apartment and getting close to Lindsey and Tony. But…"

"But what?" Nathan prompted.

"But it just never really felt like home to me. The worst time was when you were traveling. Aside from going to work, taking care of Duke, and hanging out with Lindsey, I didn't know what to do with myself," Haley explained. "It's not like here where we have a lot of family and friends."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I thought we'd agreed to be honest with each other."

"I was going to tell you after the season ended, but I never got the chance. You were injured and couldn't play anymore. The last thing you would want to hear is me asking you to switch teams. I wanted you to stay focused on your rehab. Then there were the issues with Dan and Lucas and all of that. It just seemed like one thing after another," she said. "So I kept putting it off and waiting for the right time. But I guess there never really was a right time."

"I can't believe I didn't see it." Nathan shook his head and sighed. "Some husband I am."

"It's not your fault, baby. I was trying really hard to be happy, and I usually didn't have to try as hard when you were home. I was always so thrilled to have you back that I didn't dwell on that other stuff."

"Still, I feel horrible."

"Don't," Haley said, stroking his cheek. "I've been thinking…if you really feel that committed and loyal to the Sonics, then we can go to Oklahoma."

"Hales—"

"Who knows, maybe I really will like it. After everything that happened today, it made me realize how trivial this whole moving thing is. As long as you, me, and the baby are together and all healthy, then nothing else matters."

Nathan kissed her deeply and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you for the offer, Hales, but it's not going to happen. I won't force you to move."

"Nathan—"

"Do you want to know why I was so angry today when you told me how you felt?" he interrupted. Haley shook her head. "It was because I felt the exact same way."

Haley's eyes widened. "You did?"

"Yeah. I mean, I like Seattle. I like my team. I like the life we built there. In general, it didn't really bother me as much to live there. But that doesn't mean that it's felt like my true home, either," Nathan informed her. "Because that is what Tree Hill is. It's why I bought our first house here."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Our first house should be in the place we call home. And when I heard about the Sonics moving to Oklahoma, I felt the same sense of dread and disappointment that you did. Seattle I can handle. It's become comfortable. But the idea of uprooting our family to a state that I've really never had an interest in and playing for a team that doesn't feel like mine anymore, that was too much. I didn't like feeling like I didn't want to go. And I guess a part of me was hoping that you'd say we had to go. I wanted you to talk me into it and say that this was my dream and we had to follow it. That there was no other choice. But as we both know, you said the opposite. You pretty much voiced my own fears and forced me to face the facts," Nathan declared. "And the fact is that I can't follow my teammates on this one. I don't want to."

"Nathan," she said in a soothing voice, "it doesn't mean that you don't care about them. I know that you're all close—especially you and Tony. They'll understand."

"Let's say they do understand and wish me well. Who's to say any other team will want me?" he voiced his concern.

Haley stared at him in disbelief. "Why wouldn't another team want you? You're Nathan Scott," she said confidently, making him grin a little.

"You know what I mean, Hales. My injury can be a huge setback in me getting a good contract. I still have to prove that I've fully recovered and can play."

"The doctor said you will."

"It's not the same, though. I can't play in the same capacity that I once did."

"So you'll learn to play a little differently. It doesn't mean you'll lose your passion or intensity. I know that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to," Haley encouraged. "It's one of the things I love about you most."

Nathan ran his hands through her hair. "I love everything about you."

"I just…" she trailed off, her eyes watering once more. "I just want you to be happy after all of this. I don't want to see you lose your dream."

"Lose her?" Nathan said with a charming smile, causing the corner of Haley's mouth to twitch upward. "She's right here. And I'm never letting go of her." His lips claimed hers in a searing kiss before they locked eyes. His expression was serious and intense. "It's you and me, Hales. Always and forever."

* * *

Nathan paced the floor of the hospital waiting room and checked his watch. He'd called Clay early that morning. He had some things to discuss with him. A couple of minutes later, Nathan heard someone calling his name. He turned and saw Clay rushing toward him.

"Nathan, I came as soon as I heard. How's Haley? Is the baby okay?" Clay questioned. "Don't even worry about the press. I'll take care of everything."

"Haley and the baby are fine," Nathan assured him.

"Thank God. Do you know what happened? Actually, never mind. You don't have to tell me if you don't want—"

"It's okay. Haley had false labor pains brought on by stress. The good news is that the doctor said she can come home today. They're just checking her over one last time."

"Good."

"But that's not why I called you."

"Okay. What's going on?" Nathan motioned for them to take a seat. "Have you said anything to the Sonics yet about me accepting their offer?"

"No, not yet. I'm still trying to get you a better deal. Why, what's up?" Clay questioned. "Did you want to add or change something?"

"No." Nathan hesitated. He wasn't sure how Clay was going to react to his next words.

"Nathan, what's the matter with you?" Clay nudged him and chuckled. "You look, dare I say, nervous."

"Okay, I'm just going to say it. I want you to find me another team."

"Huh?"

"I don't want to re-sign with the Sonics—or Thunder—or whatever the hell they are now."

Clay shook his head and rubbed his hands over his face. "I knew you weren't okay with the move. You said you were, but I could see it in your eyes that you weren't."

"You're right. I'm not."

"Did you tell Haley?"

"Yeah, it's why she's in the hospital. I just found out that she didn't even really like Seattle all that much. The whole moving to Oklahoma thing freaked her out even more. The stress brought on the labor pains."

Clay looked slightly taken aback. "She didn't like Seattle?"

"Not really. She told me that she's always wanted to live here in Tree Hill, and I can't say that I blame her."

"This is what you want? You're sure about this?" Clay asked. "I know how much you've loved this team."

"I know, but it just isn't the same anymore. And I want to do this for Haley. She's made a lot of sacrifices over the years for me and my career. I think it's about time I do something for her."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry, Clay."

"Why are you sorry?" Clay replied, confused.

"I know how hard you've been working to get the Sonics to re-sign me. I don't want you to think that I don't appreciate it."

"Nate, it's fine. I understand. You have to do what feels right to you. As your agent and your friend, it's my job to make sure that you're happy. And if you want me to find you another team, then that's what I'll do." He patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"Thanks, Clay," Nathan said, his voice sincere. This was why he had picked Clay as his agent. This was why they'd become such good friends. Clay wasn't always concerned about the bottom line. In the end, he never tried to force Nathan into anything and always had his best interests at heart. Nathan knew without a doubt in his mind that he could trust Clay to come through for him.

"Sure. Now a few East Coast teams come to mind, or was there one in particular that you wanted?"

"One in particular," Nathan said.

Clay grinned knowingly. "That's what I thought."


	44. Chapter 43

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! Here's the next chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 43 **

**July 2, 2012**

"Is there anything else you need?"

"No."

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to—"

"Nathan, I'm fine," Haley interrupted, laughing. Ever since Nathan had brought her home from the hospital yesterday, he'd been fussing over her nonstop.

"I'll tell Mariam to make you that tea you like. Or I could stay and—"

"Nathan. Go." He was supposed to be meeting with Clay today. Nathan had told her that Clay was looking into other teams closer to home for him. She hoped that something would come up.

They'd discussed Haley and the baby staying in Tree Hill no matter what. It would suck, though, if Nathan had to stay in another state for training and games and was separated from the family. But at the same time, they didn't want to keep moving their son around. They both agreed that it wouldn't be the best situation for him.

"I'll have my phone on me at all times. Don't hesitate to call."

"I'm okay, but I promise to call if I don't feel well." She caressed his cheek and leaned in for a kiss.

"I know you think I'm overreacting, but the doctor did say that you need to take it easy from now on. Rest and relaxation are key."

"But how can I rest if you won't leave me alone?" she teased.

Nathan frowned. "Okay. If you want to be that way. I did have a surprise for you, though. But if you don't want it..."

Haley's ears perked up at that. "What kind of surprise?"

Knowing that he had her, Nathan smirked. He opened the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out a few items. He watched as her entire face lit up.

"You got me _Boy Meets World_ box sets!" she exclaimed. That was their favorite show. They used to watch it all time together in college. Taking his face in her hands, Haley kissed him affectionately.

"So, how does staying in bed sound now?"

"It still sucks, but it's a little more bearable," Haley admitted.

"Don't worry, Boy Toy. I'll keep an eye on her," Brooke said, practically bouncing into the room. She took a seat on the bed and smiled. "Brooke Davis reporting for Tutor Mom duty."

Haley shot a glare to Nathan, feeling some of her excitement ebb. "Please tell me you did not call her to come here and watch me while you're gone." Just because she was having a baby didn't mean that she was one, for crying out loud.

"Actually, I volunteered. We have some business to attend to, Haley." Brooke reached into her purse and pulled out a small notebook and some magazines.

"What's all that for?" she questioned, frowning.

"You have to tell me what you had in mind for your baby shower. Obviously the theme will be blue since you're having a boy. I was also thinking we could—"

Haley could feel her _Boy Meets World _marathon slipping further away with each passing minute.

"I think that's my cue to leave," Nathan cut in. He stood up quickly. The look Haley was giving him right now usually meant that she would be hitting him soon.

"Special delivery!" Mariam walked into the room carrying a new vase of different kinds of purple flowers.

It seemed like Haley had been receiving a lot of gifts after her stint in the hospital. She knew that everyone had been worried and was relieved that she was okay.

"Those are beautiful," Brooke said, admiring the arrangement. "Who are they from?"

Mariam checked the small card. "Lucas Scott," she answered.

Haley noticed Brooke's whole body tense. "Just put them on the table with the others," Haley instructed, sharing a concerned look with Nathan.

"Um, I have to go or I'll be late. You ladies have fun planning the shower." He gave Haley a quick peck on the lips and was out the door in a matter of seconds.

Once he left, Duke hopped up on the end of the bed. He'd been by her side constantly. Haley wondered if he'd sensed that she wasn't feeling well. Either way, she liked the company and didn't shoo him off. Nathan often did, though, which was why Duke always waited until he left the room to make his move. It made Haley laugh every time.

"Let me know if you need anything, honey," Mariam told Haley.

"You don't have to wait on me, Mariam. It's not part of your job."

"Oh, hush. I want to." The older woman patted her hand. "In fact, I'll make you some tea. I think Nathan mentioned it earlier."

Haley gave Mariam a small smile and turned to Brooke. Her friend seemed to be staring off into space, her eyes never straying from the new bouquet of flowers. "Thinking about Lucas?"

Brooke blinked a few times and looked at her. "Huh? Oh, no. I was just having another idea for my next line." "

Oh, okay. Because with you bumping into him at the hospital the other day and him seeming to come around again, I thought that maybe you guys would've talked or something."

Brooke laughed humorlessly. "Nope. There was just a lot of awkward staring."

"Maybe he's finally realizing his mistakes. Why else would he show up at the hospital?"

"Because he loves you, Haley, just like we all do," she replied.

"And the flowers? How do you explain that?"

The way Nathan talked, it seemed like Lucas was finally ready to come out of that darkness. Just the gesture of sending flowers already reminded Haley of the old Lucas, instead of the angry drunk one he'd become recently.

"The shop was probably next door to a liquor store," Brooke mumbled and grabbed a magazine. She held it up for Haley to see. "Now, there are these delicious little finger foods that I think will look perfect…"

Haley let Brooke change the subject. It was obvious that the brunette did not want to talk about her former fiancé. To Haley, Lucas's bouquet wasn't just a nice gesture. It was proof that something was different with him. She just hoped that this change was ultimately for the better. Because even if Lucas wanted to get his old life back, Haley wasn't sure if Brooke was willing to give any more second chances.

* * *

"So what you're saying is that they're not interested."

"No. I'm not. All I'm saying is that it's going to take some convincing."

Nathan dribbled the ball in his hands and stared out at the water. He was at the River Court with Clay. While Clay filled him in on the whole trading situation, Nathan was practicing his game. It had been seven months since his surgery. Now was a crucial time for him. Nathan had to get back in shape and prove that he was still a skilled player. Everything depended on it. The only problem was that Nathan could already tell, based on his conversation with Clay just now, that his worst fear was coming true.

"Just say it, Clay. They think I'm damaged goods."

"No, they don't. These things just take time."

"In case you haven't noticed, time isn't a luxury we have at the moment." Nathan shot the ball at the basket, hard. It ricocheted off of the backboard, bounced on the ground, and rolled toward the grass. "I have to work harder. I have to be faster and better. That's the only way."

"Nathan, the key is to not push yourself too hard too fast. It takes most athletes seven months or even longer to recover from the kind of surgery you had," Clay said. "And I've been watching you play. I can tell that you're getting stronger every day. You'll be ready when the time comes. Trust me."

"Have you talked to the Sonics? Do they know?"

"I haven't outright confirmed that you want to be traded, but I'm sure they found out that we've been making the rounds with other teams."

"Do you think you should talk to them?"

"I'll probably be getting a call soon. But until then, I don't want to tell them anything. It's best to keep our options open at this point," Clay told him. "All I need from you is to continue with your rehab like you're supposed to."

Nathan noticed Clay check his watch. "What?"

"I've got to go. I have a conference call in a half hour. My stuff is back at the hotel."

"Who's the conference call with?"

"The Atlanta Hawks."

"Clay—"

"Nathan, I'm doing my best. Remember, we're not signing anything yet. Nothing is set in stone. It doesn't hurt to hear what they have to say. When have I ever steered you wrong?"

He had a point there. Nathan sighed. "Never."

"Right. So you stay here and practice. I'll let you know how it goes."

"You better." Clay's phone rang, and Nathan motioned for him to take it and go. Afterward, Nathan retrieved his basketball and began his usual regimen. Soon the world around him started to fade away. It was just him, the ball, the court, and the basket. Nathan didn't know how much time had passed. His body was aching and his knee felt funky, but he pushed through the discomfort. It wasn't until he heard someone clapping that he realized he was no longer alone.

"Nice shot." Lucas bent over to pick up the ball and threw it back to him.

"Thanks." Nathan tried not to look so surprised to see his brother, but he couldn't help it. It was rare these days for his brother to leave the house—even rarer for him to want to visit Nathan. But here Lucas was. And for the first time in a long time, the anger and hostility that he'd been carrying around with him seemed nonexistent. "What are you doing here, Luke?"

"I was on my way to your house to see if Haley was okay. But I saw you here and I thought…well, I don't know what I thought." He scratched his eyebrow sheepishly.

"I'm glad you did stop," Nathan replied. "I've been thinking about you since the hospital."

"I'm sure you've got bigger things to worry about than me."

"You're my brother. And who said I'm worried?"

"Aren't you?" Lucas shrugged. "I know you, Nate."

"Actually, I have to say not as much as usual."

"Oh."

"The truth is that I was kind of relieved to see you at the hospital." Nathan met his gaze. "It was nice to see a glimpse of the big brother I used to know."

Lucas shoved his hands in his pockets. "I know what you mean."

Nathan's eyes scanned him up and down. Lucas was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans with flip-flops. It was casual but still nicer than the other ratty clothes he'd been wearing. He'd also shaved. "You look better. Are you showering again?"

"I wasn't that bad."

"Sorry, man, but you reeked of B.O. and booze."

Lucas rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. "Whatever. I'm sober."

"Are you really?" he questioned.

"I haven't had a drink since that day, if that's what you're asking."

"I am. And good."

Lucas exhaled loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Look, Nathan, I know how horrible I've been. I've made so many mistakes—and I know it's probably too little too late—but I'm sorry. For everything." He averted his gaze. "It's okay if you can't forgive me. I just had to say that."

"It's not too late, Luke." Nathan nodded over to the picnic table. He took a seat, with Lucas following suit. "What changed?"

Lucas was silent for a moment before beginning softly, "I was angry and depressed for a really long time. Everything had changed so drastically in such a short amount of time…I couldn't handle it. I know I'm usually the responsible brother or the go-to guy, but I've never had something that bad happen to me. I've been through a lot of shit in my life—with Dan especially—but that just pushed me over the edge. It felt like everything in my life that had originally brought me joy was now a burden. Everything got dark and suddenly it was all spinning out of control.

"I couldn't stop it, and I didn't want to. I felt like no one understood. I just wanted to wallow in self-pity and mourn my loss. I drank and partied. I hung out with people I knew weren't true friends—mostly because I knew they wouldn't try to judge me or stop me. And for a while I was fine with that. But it all changed the night you had your birthday party. I'd gotten the call from Haley inviting me. I told myself that I wasn't going to go. That I didn't belong there. I don't know when or why I decided to take a walk by the café. It was like I had no control over my feet. Suddenly I was there, looking from the outside in. Everyone was talking and laughing. You all looked like you were so happy—without me. It was like I'd never been a part of you guys in the first place."

"Luke, we all wanted you to come."

"I didn't know that then. I thought Haley only invited me to be nice. Anyway, you were all happy together while I was miserable and alone. Even Brooke looked like she was having a good time. Your teammates certainly paid her enough attention. It bothered me more than I wanted to admit. The need to walk across the street and join you guys hit me like a ton of bricks. I'd never felt so disconnected and envious of my previous life than I did in that moment."

"Why didn't you come inside when I saw you?"

"Because I didn't deserve to. Not then. When you told me I was going to be James's godfather…I've been questioning my choices and my behavior ever since that day. I've been trying to figure out what it is I really want. And it seems like little by little I've been able to let go some of my anger. It's still there—I think a part of it always will be—but the darkness doesn't drive me like it did. I realize what I'm missing and how much I've lost. Haley's stint in the hospital only confirmed just how tenuous life can be. I don't want to wake up someday to realize that ten years have passed by and that I've been wasting my life away, dwelling on the past. I don't want to be Dan."

"I know the feeling," Nathan muttered. He'd been thinking that exact same thing the last couple of days. He still couldn't believe how upset he'd made Haley. So upset that it jeopardized her and the baby's health. And all for a game. There was only one person he knew that would put basketball ahead of anything else in his life, and that was Dan.

"I just don't know what to do. I don't know how to let it go. I still feel like I need it in my life, but I know it's impossible. My heart is willing but incapable. How is that for irony?" he said, shaking his head.

"You'll find your way, Luke. I have no doubt about that. The question is will you find your way alone, or are you going to finally let the rest of us help you? Because we do want to help you, Luke."

"I don't deserve your help. But I want it," he quickly added before Nathan could object.

"Good." Nathan patted his back and smirked. "Because you really didn't have a choice."

* * *

Putting the phone back in its receiver, Haley walked to the refrigerator. Brooke had left about an hour ago and still wasn't finished listing ideas for Haley's baby shower. Haley had called Peyton afterward to fill her in on some things. She hadn't been able to come over earlier, because she'd had some work to finish at the gallery. Haley told Peyton all about Brooke's ideas, and Peyton assured her that she'd help rein in Brooke a little. Their friend always had the tendency to get carried away.

Haley also told Peyton about the Lucas conversation she'd had with Brooke. Peyton was concerned, too, but she wasn't entirely sure if Lucas was starting to come around. It seemed like the blonde wasn't ready to get her hopes up and thought that Brooke shouldn't either. Haley could understand that. It didn't mean that she couldn't hope for the best, though.

Searching through the refrigerator, Haley found the leftover pasta that Marium had made for her and Nathan yesterday. It had been so delicious. She would have to ask Marium for the recipe when she got a chance. Haley had just taken the pasta out of the microwave when she heard the garage door open. _Right on time_. She grabbed a second plate from the cupboard.

"Haley, what are you doing out of bed?"

She didn't turn around. Instead she focused on dividing up the food for her and Nathan. "I'm eating dinner."

"Hales." His tone was scolding. "You know what the doctor said—"

"Nathan, I'm fine. It's not like I'm doing jumping jacks or anything. I needed to get out of that room for a while. I was starting to get a little stir crazy." She picked up the plates and turned around. "Now sit down and let's—" Her words disappeared when she saw that Nathan wasn't alone. "Lucas."

"Hey," he replied, smiling timidly.

"I ran into Lucas at the River Court and invited him for dinner," he explained with a hopeful look.

"I hope that's okay," Lucas said when Haley didn't answer right away. She was still slightly shocked to see him—but in a good way.

"Of course," she finally spoke up. "I'll just get another plate." Haley handed the plates to Nathan and proceeded to heat up a third one. "So what did you guys do at the River Court?" she asked, making conversation.

"He watched me train."

"Yeah, he's really getting good again," Lucas stated.

"I'm getting better. I don't know if I'm good, exactly. We'll see."

"He's always so hard on himself." Haley took the seat between Lucas and Nathan at the kitchen table. A short bout of silence followed; the only sound in the room that could be heard was the scraping of forks on plates.

Not one for awkward silences, Haley was just about to speak when Lucas beat her to it. "So, how are you feeling?" Lucas questioned.

"I'm much better. I still get some pains, but the doctor said that's normal. I guess the closer I get to the birth the more uncomfortable I'll feel. Lucky me," she joked.

"Well, I'm glad you and the baby are okay."

"Thank you for the flowers you sent. They were beautiful."

"You're welcome. And how is Br—I mean, how is everyone else?"

Haley and Nathan exchanged a discreet look.

"Everyone else is doing fine."

"Jake's working at a great law firm, and Peyton is getting her gallery ready," Haley explained. "And Brooke's hard at work planning my baby shower. I wouldn't be surprised if this turns into a red carpet event. You know how excited she gets."

"Yeah, I know," Lucas murmured with a half-smile.

"I think part of the reason she's getting so caught up in it is because of you."

"Haley," Nathan said under his breath. He brought Lucas over for dinner so that he could forget some of his troubles. Leave it to Haley to start meddling.

She didn't listen and kept going. "She misses you, Luke. Even if she isn't ready to admit it. And based on that look on your face, I'm willing to bet that you're missing her, too."

Lucas used his fork to push around some of his pasta. "Does it matter? I really screwed up, Hales. There's nothing I can do to make it right. You didn't see her at the hospital. It was like she couldn't even look at me."

"I find that apologies are always a great way to start."

"Haley," Nathan interrupted.

"Nathan, trust me," she told him and looked back at Lucas. "I know you've been hurting, Lucas. So has Brooke. We've all been there at some point or another. But if you don't even try to fix this and get her back, then you'll really have screwed up big time."

Nathan nudged her gently. "I'm not sure this is helping, Hales."

Haley continued, "You remember when Nathan and I had that huge fight and I left? I wasn't sure what was going to happen between us. Everything had turned so bad so quickly. We probably would've gotten a divorce if he hadn't come after me the way that he did."

"You really think we would've gotten a divorce?" Nathan interjected, frowning.

"I don't know. I'd like to think not, but it was a possibility. I was really upset then." Haley shrugged. "My point is that you showing up and fighting for me made all the difference. I needed to know that you truly loved me." She faced Lucas. "Maybe Brooke will ignore you for a while and play hard-to-get. But sometimes hard-to-get is just a way for someone to see if the other person's feelings are real."

"Look, Luke—" Nathan began.

"She's right," Lucas said after a minute. "I know she's right."

Haley smiled. "Of course I am."

"Brooke isn't the only one I hurt." He stared Haley in the eyes. "I'm so sorry for what I said to you, Hales. I should've never treated you the way that I did. You've always been a great friend to me. I'm sorry."

She reached across and placed her hand atop his. Lucas appeared so broken, and yet sincere. Haley knew that he meant every word. "Apology accepted."

* * *

"That was a great thing you did for Lucas today." Nathan tightened his hold on Haley as they sat together on a lounge chair on the patio. They'd watched the sunset in silence, letting the events of the day sink in. Nathan sipped on his wine while Haley had her usual root beer.

"What was that?"

"You know, the way you talked to him and encouraged him."

Haley smiled and looked up at him. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You talked to him at the River Court first. I have a feeling that whatever you said was exactly what he needed to hear."

Nathan shrugged, thinking. "Maybe."

Haley caressed his jaw with her fingertips. "This has been tense all night. What's the matter?"

"It's just something that Lucas said today. It's been bugging me."

"What is it?" she prodded, still stroking his face.

"Luke said that he felt like he'd become Dan."

Haley remained silent, waiting for him to continue. "And what's ironic is that I've felt the same way lately."

"Why?"

Nathan finally met her gaze. "You ended up in the hospital because of me, Hales."

"Nathan—"

"No, Haley." He shook his head. "It's true. I keep thinking about how I was willing to put basketball before the well-being of my family. I didn't want to listen to you or your concerns. All I could see was my career slipping away." Nathan was quiet for a moment before revealing, "It scared me, Hales."

"Nathan," Haley began, "It wasn't entirely your fault. I shouldn't have kept my feelings hidden for so long. It was understandable that you'd be upset. You thought everything was fine."

"What kind of husband does that make me if I didn't even notice? What kind of a father does that mean I'll be?" he questioned. "I keep asking myself if I'm ready. I want to be a father. I do. But I don't want to be _my _father. It's always there in the back of my mind. It's like it's waiting to say 'I told you so.'"

Haley felt her heart breaking at the tormented look on her husband's face. She knew that he was nervous about the baby and asking himself if he'd be a good parent. Hell, Haley had been doing the same thing. This baby was something that would change their lives forever. But she knew deep down that no matter what happened, she and Nathan would face it together. Everything would be all right because, like her, her husband had a good heart.

"Nathan, it's normal to have doubts. I have them, too. But you are _not _Dan Scott," Haley stressed. "If you were, then you wouldn't even be looking for another team right now. You would just do whatever you wanted without a second thought for me or the baby."

"Haley—"

"And I want to tell you something else," she continued. "Even though you had a crappy childhood and a horrible father growing up, I know without a doubt in my mind that things will be different for our son. You won't make the same mistakes, Nathan. I know that you will do everything you can to keep James safe and happy. Because you were once that little boy, and you're going to take everything you've seen and been through and make sure that our son has better. And because of that, he's going to be the luckiest and most loved little boy in the world, with the best father."

"I'm just afraid that I'm not strong enough for this. My whole life I've willed myself to face things—anything that was bigger than me or would've defeated me. I just kept going until I beat it. But this is different. And when I think about what could've happened…I don't know if I'm strong enough, Haley."

"Yes you are," she replied, looking him square in the eyes. "And when you're not, you have me. My strength is your strength. Your strength is mine. You're me, and I'm you. Believe that."

Nathan closed the distance between them and captured her lips in a fierce kiss. He didn't know how he got so lucky. He didn't know how he had made the right choices that gave him the life that he had. That gave him a wife so loving and trusting. Who would soon give him a son of his own. There was so much he didn't know and probably would never know. But one thing was for sure: Nathan Scott would never stop being thankful.


	45. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44 **

**July 21, 2012**

Nathan chuckled at the pout on Haley's face as he continued to get dressed. She'd been begging him all morning not to leave. Her nervousness was actually kind of cute. But as much as he loved her, there was no way he would be sticking around the house today. Because today was Haley's baby shower, and every single female family/friend would be attending. Brooke had made sure of it. And knowing Brooke, this baby shower would definitely be something no one would forget.

"Hales, I'm supposed to meet the kids from the team in, like, ten minutes. I've got to go." He finished tying his sneakers and stood up. "Besides, there are no guys allowed at a baby shower."

"It's our house. We can do whatever we want," she replied.

"Babe, it may be our house but not today. Not with Brooke running the show and your mom helping her."

"Don't leave me."

"You'll be fine."

"Nathan, Brooke has a game called Pin the Sperm on the Egg," Haley informed him. Just the thinking about it made Haley want to blush from embarrassment.

Nathan laughed out loud. "Really?" Haley placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Oh, come on, Hales. It is a little funny."

"They're out of control. You haven't even seen the downstairs."

"Don't worry, I will—on my way out."

"Nathan!" Haley followed him down the hallway. She couldn't believe that he was still going to leave.

Nathan reached the bottom of the stairs and glanced around. There were blue and yellow balloons tied to the railings at the foot of the stairs. There were also streamers hanging around the doorway. He walked into the kitchen and saw even more decorations. The kitchen table was no longer visible. There was a stork tablecloth with a whole bunch of goodie bags on top. There were teddy bear centerpieces on the counter and more streamers hanging from the ceiling in the living room. Balloons in the shape of bottles and rattles were scattered about.

"Wow," Nathan muttered.

"Doesn't it look fabulous?" Brooke beamed. She was holding more decorations in her hand. "We're not done yet, but we're almost there."

Lydia interrupted her cooking to face them. "I hope we have enough food."

"Don't worry, I called Karen. She said she'll bring some dishes with her."

"Perfect!"

"I'm sure that's not necessary. Mom, you've made more than enough food," Haley said.

"When it comes to parties there can never be enough, Haley Bop."

Peyton and Vivian came into the kitchen, already looking exhausted.

"No more decorations, Brooke. We've done enough."

Vivian nodded and cracked her knuckles, wincing. "I agree."

"I don't know. I still think—"

"It's enough. Trust us," Peyton interrupted.

Brooke shrugged and eyed Nathan as if really seeing him for the first time. "Boy Toy, what are you still doing here? The rest of the girls will be here in a few hours, and we only have so much preparation time. You've got to go."

"First of all, I hate it when you call me Boy Toy. Second, I'm going now." Nathan patted Haley's swollen stomach and kissed her cheek. "Try to have fun, babe," he whispered and moved before she could swat his arm.

"Bye, you traitor," she called after him.

His laughter could be heard as he walked out the door. Meanwhile, Brooke started measuring blue ribbon to tie in a bow around Duke's neck while Lydia made another batch of her famous dumpling soup. Haley sent pleading looks to Peyton and Vivian, begging them to help rein in Brooke and her mother. There was always safety in numbers.

* * *

Nathan heard hoots and hollers as the basketball sailed through the hoop. He couldn't hide the confident grin that spread across his face. After months of exhausting and painful rehab, Nathan felt like it was all starting to pay off. His knee felt different than before his injury, but he still found himself able to move around on the court and make his shots. Nathan's game had improved so much these last few weeks, and he was finally starting to feel like himself again. He couldn't necessarily play the same way he had in the past, but he found new ways to compensate for the change.

Nathan knew that part of the reason he'd been doing better lately was because of the Ravens. Quentin, Jack, and some of the other players would come to the River Court and train with him. They made Nathan work for it and because of that, he was stronger. There was also Lucas. He'd been more like himself these last couple of weeks and had helped Nathan through some pretty tough times. If Nathan felt frustrated or wanted to quit for the day, Lucas would keep him focused and tell him to keep going.

Sometimes, while Nathan was shooting around on his own, Lucas would even help the Ravens with their game. Lucas had taught Quentin a few techniques to improve his fade-aways. With Jack he showed him how to gain an advantage over players that were taller than him. The rest of the Ravens were shooting better, too. Their free-throws were what had needed the most work. Now most of the guys could make ten in a row without difficulty. Some people would say it was a miracle, but Nathan knew that it was all because of Lucas. He had a talent for coaching; it was obvious.

While Lucas was talking to some of the Ravens about their shooting stances, Nathan noticed a blue car parked off to the side. He walked over, and the driver rolled down the window.

"So, what do you think?" Nathan asked.

Whitey scratched his chin. "They've improved. I'll give you that."

"I'm right. You know I'm right."

"We'll see about that."

"Come on, Coach. You know as well as I do that this is the best choice."

"I've got to think about it some more."

"I'll give you until Monday. How's that?" Nathan offered.

"Fine. But until then, not a word," Whitey warned.

"Okay," Nathan promised. He knew that Whitey would agree with him eventually. But like always, the old man had to come to terms with it himself. His former coach wasn't one for letting others dictate his choices.

Whitey rolled his window back up and drove off.

"Who was that you were talking to?" Lucas questioned when Nathan stepped back onto the court.

"It was just some old geezer who needed directions. How are things going here? I'm sorry I was late. Things were hectic at the house."

"Haley's baby shower is today, right?"

"Yup."

"So I guess you'll be staying away all day."

"Definitely. Although Haley did beg me not to go." Nathan smirked, picturing her pout once more.

"You'd think she'd be excited."

"You know Brooke. She has to do everything big."

Lucas nodded. "That's Brooke." He smiled for a moment before his expression became forlorn.

"Have you had any luck—"

"No. I've called her and left messages, but she hasn't gotten back to me. I don't think she ever will."

"Keep trying, Luke. She just needs time," Nathan advised. He'd found out from Haley that Brooke was still adamantly ignoring Lucas—even though she was still hopelessly in love with him. Brooke was never one to make things easy on those who'd betrayed her trust.

"Lucky for me, all I've got is time." Lucas picked up a stray basketball and bounced it a couple of times.

"I gather you haven't figured out what you want to do yet."

Nathan was aware that in the midst of trying to get his life back together, Lucas was also trying to figure out what his next move should be professionally. With his basketball career finished, it was a whole new world for his brother.

"I've got a few ideas." Lucas rolled the basketball around in his hands. "Nothing solid yet, though."

"I'm sure the right opportunity will come along. And it's not like you're in need of money or anything, so you can take your time in deciding."

"True."

"So are you guys going to play or what?" Quentin interrupted. The rest of the guys were staring at them.

Nathan rolled his eyes and held his hands out. "Just give me the ball."

* * *

Haley laughed and found herself chanting "Chug! Chug! Chug!" along with the rest of the women. The object of the game was for the participants to drink as much milk out of a baby bottle in the allotted time. Whoever drank the most in the end wins. Brooke had devised a whole bunch of games, and Haley had to admit that she was having a blast so far. She'd been overwhelmed at first by the preparations for her baby shower. But in the end, Haley saw that Brooke—with the help of Lydia, Peyton, and Vivian—had really outdone herself in a good way.

The house looked like a baby wonderland, and all of the food had been delicious. Most of all, Haley was happy to share this special time in her life with all of her closest family and friends. Vivian had flown in from Florida and Lindsey from Washington. Her mother had driven with her father in the RV to make it for today. And then there were Megan and Anna. They'd also flown in to celebrate. It was a great reunion after all their time spent apart.

"Time!" Brooke called. "Hold up your bottles, ladies, so we can see who the winner is."

Haley watched as Brooke walked along, surveying each baby bottle. Finally Brooke stopped in front of Deb.

"We have a winner," she announced. Brooke handed Deb one of the prizes. "Good work, Mama Scott."

"I knew all of those keg stands I did in college would come in handy one day," Deb joked and held up her prize in victory, causing everyone to laugh.

"What's next?"

A huge smile lit up Brooke's face. "Oh, you ladies are gonna love this one. Or maybe not. Nevertheless, it'll be interesting." Brooke nodded to Peyton.

The blonde walked into the kitchen and grabbed a tray. On it were plates covered with silver lids.

"No more food," Haley said. "I'm stuffed."

"It's not a meal, Tutor Mom, but you will have to sort of eat. What you and the others are going to do is try to determine the type of candy is on each of these plates."

Haley frowned. "That's it?"

Brooke's smile turned into a mischievous smirk. Even Peyton was laughing under her breath.

"Lift the lid, Goldilocks."

Peyton did just as Brooke instructed. She lifted one of the lids to reveal a diaper on a plate. Haley and the others all stared in confusion.

"What the heck?" Lindsey muttered.

Brooke unfolded the diaper and revealed a brown blob inside.

Anna put her hand to her mouth. "Oh my God, that is disgusting!"

"Ew," Vivian said with her nosed scrunched.

"Is that real?" Haley questioned.

"Will you all relax? It's not what you think it is. This brown stuff is the melted candy. You have to lick it in order to identify it. The diaper is to go along with the whole baby shower theme. Pretty clever, huh?"

"I don't think I can lick that," Haley said. Just the sight of it made her want to gag.

"The person who identifies the most candies correctly wins," Peyton informed them.

"I'm going to pass," Megan announced. "I'm on a strict no diaper-chocolate diet."

"Can't we play another game?" Karen suggested.

"I like that idea," Haley spoke up.

"It's either this or we wrap string around your stomach to see how big it is," Brooke replied. "Or we could always skip that and just guess your weight."

Haley held out her hand. "Give me the diaper."

* * *

"Oh, it's so adorable." Haley held up the baby outfit for everyone to see. "Thank you so much, Megan."

They'd stopped playing games about a half hour ago so that Haley could open her presents. She'd gotten so many cute baby outfits and toys. Her mother had even given Haley a blanket she knitted especially for James. She was going to bring it to the hospital to use when he was born.

"You're welcome. Gosh, I can't believe you're having a baby," Megan said. "It seems like just yesterday that we were hanging out at Patty's Pancake House and whispering about boys we thought were cute."

"Those were the days," Haley agreed, smiling as the warm memories flooded her.

"Which reminds me," Anna interjected. She held a card out to Haley. "Patty wanted me to give this to you. She felt bad that she couldn't make it."

Patty had been her mother's best friend growing up, and they were still close. She was like a second mother to Haley. She'd given Haley her first job as a teenager. And of course Haley would never forget how welcoming she'd been to Nathan the first time she brought him to visit Honey Grove.

Haley opened the card and read the note inside that Patty had written her. It was so sweet, and Haley found her eyes watering. Patty had also given her a gift certificate to a toy store. "That was so nice of her. I'll have to call her."

Vivian patted her hand. "My gift next."

Haley ripped off the wrapping paper and opened the box. "Oh my gosh," Haley mumbled. Her sister had gotten her a baby book to put all pictures and keepsakes inside. "This is awesome."

"I have one for Deidra. I've got everything from her little footprints to her first haircut in there."

"Thank you, Viv. It's perfect." Haley leaned in to give her a hug. She really had missed her big sister so much.

"Last but not least," Brooke said, practically bursting out of her seat. She grabbed an armful of gifts.

"Brooke, how many things did you get me?"

"I couldn't decide so I got you everything. And I don't want to hear that I shouldn't have. So be quiet and just open them," she ordered.

Knowing better than to argue, Haley did as Brooke said. She opened the largest gift first and saw that it was a tote-bag filled with goodies.

"It's everything you'll need for when you go into labor. There are cozy socks and slippers, some soothing CDs, your favorite gum, deodorant, and most importantly a makeup kit."

"This is great, Brooke, but I don't know if I'll have much use for makeup," Haley teased.

"You'll want to look your best for the pictures. Trust me."

Haley shrugged and accepted her explanation. She moved on to the next gift and opened the small box. Inside were a few beaded bracelets. On one of them were beads that spelled out James's full name. "Brooke, this is beautiful."

"It's a mommy bracelet."

"I love it." Haley pulled her in for a hug as the others looked at the gift in appreciation.

"You've still got one more."

Haley opened the last gift. She reached into the bag and pulled out a lacy black nightie. "Um, Brooke…" Haley didn't know what to make of it.

The others frowned, too.

"That's a little something for you and Nathan post-labor," she said with a wink.

Haley's whole face instantly turned red as the others giggled and wriggled their eyebrows at the innuendo.

"Brooke," Haley scolded.

"What? When you get your pre-baby bod back and Nathan can't keep his hands off of you, you'll be thanking me."

Haley quickly put the nightie back in the bag and took a large sip of her water. The others continued to joke around and laugh. A little while later, they played a few more baby shower games and gave out prizes.

"Brooke," Haley said when she managed to get her friend alone for a minute, "I just want to thank you for everything. This baby shower is just amazing, and I know how hard you worked on it."

"Thanks, Tutor Mom."

"There was also something else that I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?"

Haley smiled and said, "Nathan and I were wondering if you'd like to be James's godmother."

Brooke's entire face lit up. "Oh my God, really?"

"Yes. Of course. You're my best friend, Brooke. And I know that you'll be there for James as much as you've been there for me."

"Oh, of course I will," Brooke replied. "I'm going to be the best godmother ever! I promise."

"That's why we chose you. You're a great friend, Brooke."

The women hugged each other tightly, tearing up.

"You're going to really think so in a few minutes."

"Why is that?"

"Let's just say that I rigged the next game so you'd win."

"Why did you do that?" Haley questioned.

"Because the prize is a spa package."

"I love you."

Brooke smiled widely. "I know."

* * *

"Aren't they cute?" Haley asked, showing Nathan the various gifts she'd gotten at her shower. They were sitting on the couch with everything piled around them.

"I like the shirt with the basketball on it."

Haley rolled her eyes. "You would."

Nathan looked over the gifts and picked up one in particular. "What's this?" It looked like a blow horn. What did a contraption like that have to do with a baby?

"It's a breast pump."

His eyes widened. "A breast what?"

"A breast pump," Haley repeated.

"For what?"

"It's so I can extract my breast milk for the baby and have bottles for him if I'm not home."

Nathan dropped it onto her lap. "Ugh, gross."

"It's not so bad." Haley turned it on. "It just sucks it out. Here, let's try it." She moved the thing closer to him.

"Hales!" Nathan shouted and tried to get away. "Put that thing down before someone gets hurt."

"Honey, it's just a breast pump. It's nothing to be scared of," she teased.

"Haley, I mean it." He covered his chest to protect himself. No way was she using that nasty thing on him.

Haley laughed and eventually turned it off. "I love how the great Nathan Scott is afraid of a little breast pump."

"Why can't you women just milk your breasts the normal way?"

"What is the normal way?"

"I don't know. They milk cows, don't they? Why not try that approach?"

Haley's eyebrow rose. "Did you just compare me to a cow?"

"No, of course not. I just meant…I said…so, what else did you get?" Nathan asked, changing the subject. Haley was very sensitive about her weight, and he didn't want to upset her. Haley's hormones were wacky enough as it was.

"Nice save," Haley muttered sarcastically. "I showed you everything."

"I wouldn't mind seeing that negligee again."

"Since I'm a cow at the moment, what's the point?" Haley replied, feeling satisfied at making Nathan squirm.

"You're beautiful, Hales," he said, rubbing her thigh.

"Whatever. What were you up to today?"

Nathan pulled her into his side. "Mostly training and then hanging out with Lucas and the guys."

"How's Lucas doing?"

"He seems to be getting better with each day."

"That's good."

"Yeah, he's a little conflicted about what he wants to do next but considering what he's been through, I think that's normal."

"Of course it is. With his basketball career finished, he now has to start over. And speaking of starting over, there was something that I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it?"

Haley looked up at him. "Principal Turner called me yesterday. Since I've been so preoccupied with the baby shower, I didn't get a chance to tell you."

Nathan motioned for her to continue.

"Principal Turner wants to know if I'd like to run the Tutoring Center."

"Wow, really?"

"Yeah, the teacher who heads it has decided to retire."

Nathan brushed his hand against her dark hair. "Do you want to take the job? The baby will be born by then, and I know you didn't want to work full-time."

"Well, the best part about this job is that it isn't full-time. I would only need to be there a few times a week. Your mom already offered to babysit if we ever needed her."

"What about all of the students you'll be tutoring?"

"I'll only be taking on the kids I had last year. And if necessary, I don't think they would mind coming here for a lesson. That way I can be home with the baby and helping them."

"I just don't want you to overwhelm yourself. Even Superwoman needs to take it easy sometimes," he joked, making her smile. "But if this is something you really want, then I say go for it. I know how much you love it."

Haley leaned in and kissed his lips. "Thank you for understanding."

"I am awesome like that."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Have you heard from Clay at all?"

Nathan looked down at his hands. "No. Not since last week, Hales. And even then there wasn't much to tell me."

"He'll come through for you. He always does," Haley reminded him. She could already see the worried and disappointed look forming on her husband's face. "He did say that there were some prospects, right?"

"Yes. Just not from the one I really want."

She lifted his face to hers. "Well, whatever happens, we'll get through it."

Nathan kissed her softly. "We'll see."

* * *

Nathan groaned as he was awoken by a loud, piercing ringing. He raised his head and looked around. The noise was coming from his cell phone on his nightstand.

Haley shifted next to him and moaned. "What is that?" she asked groggily.

"It's just my phone. I've got it. Go back to sleep."

"Well, who is it?"

Nathan checked the caller ID. "It's Clay."

"If he's calling now, it must be—"

"I'll handle it. You sleep," Nathan ordered.

Haley had been exhausted after her baby shower. She needed rest more than ever now. Her due date was fast approaching, and they didn't want to chance any more false labor pains from stress.

Nathan grabbed his phone and got out of bed. He walked into the hallway and down the stairs while answering it. "What is it, Clay? You better have a damn good reason for calling me at this hour."

"Sorry, Nate. I know it's late, but it couldn't wait."

"What couldn't wait?" he pressed.

"We have an offer…" Clay began to fill him in on the details.

Nathan almost dropped the phone.


	46. Chapter 45

**Thank you all so much for the reviews last chapter! I'm sorry for the wait. We're quickly reaching the end. There is only one more chapter before the epilogue. Also, I posted a few short excerpts from _Leave the Pieces _and _Feeling a Moment _under my profile if you want to check those out. Enjoy!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 45**

The first thing Haley was aware of before she even opened her eyes was the smell. The aroma of buttermilk, maple syrup, and bacon instantly filled her nostrils. For a second she thought she was still dreaming. Haley could hardly keep track of her various dreams about food. Even in sleep her cravings demanded her attention.

Unable to resist the wonderful smell, Haley opened her eyes to see if the food was, in fact, real. She would be disappointed if her senses were playing tricks on her again. A smile graced Haley's face when she saw the actual tray of food in front of her. There was even a small vase with a single rose resting on top.

"Morning, sleepy head," Nathan greeted, grinning.

"Morning." Haley sat up. "What's all this?"

"We haven't had breakfast in bed in a while. I thought it'd be a nice change." He added teasingly, "Unless you're not hungry."

"Babe, you know I always am," she laughed and kissed Nathan when he leaned in. "Everything smells so good. Did you make it yourself?"

"Yes. I know I'm not much of a cook, but I do know how to make pancakes, bacon, and eggs."

"Which plate is mine?" Haley questioned, licking her lips in anticipation.

"The one with more food."

"Good man."

Nathan chuckled and pushed the tray closer to Haley, so they could both dig in.

"Mmm, so good!" she moaned after taking her first big bite. They continued to eat in silence, with Haley savoring her food and Nathan watching on in amusement.

"So," Nathan said after a few minutes, "I have a confession to make."

"What?" Haley mumbled through a mouthful of pancake.

"There was another reason why I did all this." He gestured to the nicely made-up tray. "You remember Clay calling last night?"

"Vaguely." Haley had been so tired that the interruption seemed nothing more than a dream now.

"Well, he had some good news."

That caught Haley's attention, and her head snapped up. "What was it?"

"We got an offer from a team."

"You did? Oh my God, Nathan, that's great! Which team?"

He paused for a moment, building her anticipation. "The Charlotte Bobcats." Nathan smiled when he noticed Haley's eyes widen in excitement. "You're looking at their newest point guard."

A triumphant squeal erupted from Haley before she threw her arms around him. "Oh my God," she repeated as she hugged him tightly. "That is amazing, Nathan. I knew it would happen. I told you Clay would come through. I just knew it!"

"I guess we'll get to stay in Tree Hill after all," he declared.

Haley took his face in her hands and pulled him closer. She kissed him passionately, pouring all of her relief and enthusiasm into it. "Thank you," she said, meeting his gaze. "Thank you for doing this for me. I know how much you loved the Sonics and—"

"It's true. I loved my team, but it's not going to be the same when they move. And even if they weren't moving, I'd still do this because I love you more," he told her. "Tree Hill is home for us. It always has been, and it's the perfect place for us to raise our son."

"Yes, it is." Haley's smile was beaming.

They kissed for a few more minutes before returning to their breakfast.

"So, what exactly was the deal you agreed upon?" she inquired.

Nathan smirked. Clay had done a great job in negotiating. Nathan still couldn't believe the offer they'd gotten. "The contract is for three years."

"How much?" Haley asked offhandedly.

"Twenty-one million," he said in the same casual voice, waiting for her reaction.

Haley's head snapped up, and she dropped her fork. Nathan just laughed.

* * *

"I thought we were going to the River Court?"

Nathan spared a quick glance at his brother and then back at the road. He'd picked up Lucas a few minutes ago. His brother thought that they were going to be working with Quentin, Jack, and the rest of the team. If he told them where they were really going, Nathan wasn't sure if Lucas would agree to it.

"There's been a change of plans."

"Okay," Lucas said suspiciously. "Where are we going?"

"We're almost there," Nathan informed him. A couple of minutes later they were pulling up in front of the high school.

"Nate, what are we doing here?"

"I promised Whitey that I would stop in and see him today."

"I'll wait in the car," Lucas said.

"I don't think so. You're coming with me."

"Nathan, I can't go in there."

"Why not?"

"Because…" Lucas trailed off, clearly searching for some kind of excuse.

Nathan had a feeling about why but kept it to himself. "Come on. I already told Whitey you would be with me, so you have to come in."

Before his brother could protest some more, Nathan undid his seatbelt and got out of the car. Lucas begrudgingly followed. The pair walked into the gym. Like usual, Nathan's eyes immediately sought out the wall that displayed his old Ravens jersey and the state championship banner hanging from the ceiling. Nathan watched Lucas; his brother was eyeing it, as well.

"That was a good year."

Lucas's gaze remained fixed on his own jersey hanging on the wall. "One of the best."

Another minute passed before Nathan nudged Lucas. He didn't want him traveling too much down memory lane. That wasn't why he'd brought him here. They went into the boy's locker room and headed for Whitey's office. The door was open and Whitey was sitting behind his desk, reading a newspaper.

"Hey, Whitey," Nathan said, getting his attention.

Whitey put down the newspaper. "Well, if it isn't the Scott brothers. You know, there was a time that seeing you together would've meant that hell froze over," he chuckled and motioned with his hand for them to come in.

Nathan and Lucas sat in the chairs in front of Whitey's desk.

"It's good to see you boys."

"How have you been doing?" Nathan questioned.

"Not bad." Whitey reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a bottle and a few cups.

"Drinking alcohol on school property," Nathan muttered, shaking his head. "Not exactly a good example for the kids."

An impish smile formed on his face. "Then I guess it's a good thing that school is not in session." He poured them each a glass.

"You know, if you'd done this back when I was playing I probably would've liked you more," Nathan joked.

"You got into trouble just fine on your own."

Lucas held up his hand when Whitey held a cup out to him. "No thanks."

The old man shrugged and passed the cup to Nathan. He reached into the drawer again and pulled out a bottled water. Whitey tossed it to Lucas.

"That's probably a better choice for you anyway."

"I gather you've read the tabloids."

"It was kind of hard to miss. And I do like to brush up on my celebrity gossip from time to time," he quipped. His eyes ran over Lucas. "You're looking better, though. I'm glad."

The corners of his mouth turned up in a wry grin. "It hasn't been easy."

"I didn't think it was. But I'm glad you're here, Lucas." He glanced between the brothers. "So, what's been going on with the two of you? Anything new?"

"Nothing much," Lucas answered.

"I have some news," Nathan announced. "I finally got a new contract."

Lucas's head whipped around. "With who? You didn't tell me earlier."

"I was waiting to tell you and Whitey." Nathan held his hands out. "You're looking at the Charlotte Bobcats' newest point guard."

"Nate, that's great." Lucas held out his fist for him to bump. "For how long?"

"It's a three-year deal."

"Congratulations, Nathan. You deserve it, son," Whitey added.

"Thanks. Just don't really spread it around yet. I'll be announcing it formally at the press conference in a few days."

"Your secret's safe with us, man," Lucas promised.

Whitey shifted his attention to the blonde. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Nathan tells me that you're in the process of figuring out what you'll do next."

Lucas shot a look at Nathan. "I didn't realize I was a topic of conversation."

"I just was curious. I wanted to know how you were doing."

"Well, I've been better. Then again, I've been worse."

"So no set plans for the future yet?"

Lucas hesitated. "Well, there has been something I've been working on."

"What is it?" Whitey inquired.

Nathan listened, intrigued. Every time he asked Lucas what he was up to, his brother would give him some vague answer. For once, it actually looked as if his brother was contemplating telling the truth.

"I've been writing a book," Lucas finally revealed, looking a bit sheepish.

That surprised Nathan. "Really?"

"Yeah. I was actually working on it before…everything happened. But I got busy with training and games, so I kind of set it aside for a while. I've been thinking about finishing it lately."

"You should," Nathan encouraged. "And if you want, I can maybe talk to Tony's girlfriend, Lindsey. She's an editor at Putnam & Pratt. Maybe she can take a look at it when it's done."

Lucas nodded in acknowledgment. "Maybe."

"Is that it?" Whitey questioned.

"For now, yeah," Lucas answered.

Nathan and Whitey exchanged a glance, which he noticed.

"What? Why are you both looking at me funny?"

"Well, there's actually another reason why I brought you with me to see Whitey today," Nathan revealed. He could already see the wheels turning in his brother's head.

"We have a proposition for you," Whitey spoke up at Lucas's curious expression. "I don't know if Nathan's told you, but I'm retiring. These last few months I've been looking for a new coach to replace me."

"I didn't know that," Lucas said.

"Nathan's been helping me interview people, but no one seems to be a good fit."

"I'm sure you'll find the right person eventually."

"I heard you've been working with the team down by the River Court."

"Yeah. Nathan said he could use some help."

"I saw you. You were good with them."

"They're eager to learn, and it felt good helping them. They're a good group of guys. Whoever the new coach is will be lucky."

"Yes, he will. But I don't just want the team to be good for the coach. I want a coach that will be good for the team."

"I agree."

"Great. Because I think that coach is you."

"I'm sorry." Lucas blinked a few times in confusion. "What?"

"How would you feel about teaching the Ravens on a more permanent basis?" Whitey questioned.

Lucas looked to Nathan. Nathan just smiled back. "Are you serious?"

"Lucas, I think you'd be perfect for the job," Nathan spoke up. "You've been a part of this team. You know what it's like. You certainly have the knowledge and experience." Lucas was already shaking his head, but Nathan was having none of it. "Luke, you said that you didn't know how you'd live without the game. That you didn't completely want to let it go. If you coach the Ravens, basketball will still be a part of your life."

He got up and started pacing. "No. I couldn't. My career is over. I'm a total mess. Who the hell would listen to me?"

"The guys already listen to you, Luke," Nathan pointed out.

"And it's all right if you don't have all of the answers. You don't have to be perfect, Lucas. I know I sure as hell wasn't. I made tons of mistakes myself. But it's what I've learned from those mistakes that has made me a great coach," Whitey explained.

"Maybe so, but I don't even know if I could handle being around the game. You don't think it will hurt like hell to see these players live the dream that I lost?"

"It probably will at first," Whitey told him honestly. "But in the end, you'll still be a part of something you love. You'll be helping the young boys who were just like you, and that will be enough. The game still has the power to heal your heart, son. Let it."

Nathan watched his brother mull over Whitey's words.

"You can do this, Lucas," Whitey reinforced. "I know you can."

Lucas ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I don't now. I'd have to think about it."

"That's all we're asking, Luke." Nathan got up and put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Just think about it. I know you'll make the right decision."

* * *

The room was already packed and still more people were coming. Nathan stared out at the crowd. The place was filled with members of the media and other industry insiders. Everyone was eager to hear what he was about to say. Clay decided that they were going to conduct the press conference from Tree Hill rather than Charlotte. He thought it would create more buzz and suspense for Nathan's announcement about joining the Bobcats. The media was aware that Nathan had accepted some kind of deal but didn't know the specifics. Nathan thought it was a good idea that they'd decided to hold it at the Town Hall. The room they were using was certainly big enough.

"You ready?" Clay asked.

Nathan nodded. "I think so."

Clay glanced at the crowd. "It's a great turn out. You nervous?"

"Not really. But now that you said that," he joked.

Clay rolled his eyes. "You'll do great." He checked his watch. "We're going to begin soon. Where's Haley?"

"She had to go to the bathroom."

"Again?"

"She is pregnant," Nathan reminded him.

"Well, she better hurry up. We can't keep the press waiting much longer."

"Wait, here she comes," Nathan said when he spotted her.

"I know, I know, you have to start," Haley stated before Clay could get a word out. "I'm sorry. I can't help it if the baby is practically bouncing on my bladder."

"Just take your seats while I get everyone's attention," Clay instructed.

Haley started for her chair but paused when she felt a sharp pain and put a hand to her stomach. It was gone a second later.

"What's the matter?" Nathan questioned, worried. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Haley said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. It's just the Braxton Hicks. I've been having them all day." It wasn't anything new. Haley was used to the false labor pains—especially this past week.

Nathan put one hand on her cheek and ran the other through her hair. "Maybe you shouldn't have come. You're supposed to be resting."

"Nathan, there is no way I'm going to miss this."

"But if you're not feeling well—"

"I've actually been feeling pretty good, believe it or not," she interjected. Most days Haley felt tired and sore, but this morning she'd woken up feeling energized. She'd spent most of the day setting up the nursery. It was finally finished and couldn't have looked any cuter.

"You just shouldn't be pushing yourself. That's all I'm saying."

"I'm not. I want to be here." She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so proud of you, Nathan."

He leaned down and touched his lips to hers in a tender kiss. "Have I told you how beautiful you look today?"

"Not really."

"Well, you do," he declared.

Haley was wearing a white, sleeveless maternity dress. The neck was scooped and the hem knee-length. Just above the bump of her waist was a black cloth belt that tied in a bow in the back. She had on short black heels with her hair down in neat chocolate waves. For jewelry she wore her diamond necklace and earrings. The whole ensemble was simple but elegant.

Haley blushed. "Thank you. Brooke actually made this dress for me."

Nathan smirked at his wife's red cheeks. It still amazed him that he could have such an affect on her. He bent down to capture her lips once more but was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"When the two of you are done making out, it's time to start," Clay interjected. He sounded serious but there was a teasing smile on his face.

"Good luck, baby," Haley said, kissing his cheek and letting him go. She took her seat up against wall, behind the podium. Clay sat next to her.

"Good afternoon," Nathan greeted the crowd. "Thank you for all coming. As I'm sure all of you know by now, the Sonics will officially be leaving Seattle for Oklahoma City. I've always been very proud to be a Sonic. I have the incredible coaching staff and my talented teammates to thank for such an amazing experience at the beginning of my career. I also have to thank the fans for their support and the warm welcome I received in their city.

"Although I have a lot to be grateful for, it doesn't mean that I have been without hardship. This year has been a challenging one. Probably one of the most challenging of my life. However, I truly believe that what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger and that change isn't always a bad thing. The Sonics franchise is making a change and starting a new chapter, and I believe it is time I do the same. I'm sure you can guess by now that I will not be returning to the Sonics next season."

A murmur passed through the crowd.

"Instead I will be taking the next step in my career, writing a new chapter of my own. With that said, I'm proud to announce that I will be joining the team of my home state, the Charlotte Bobcats, as their newest point guard."

The room erupted as the reporters started shouting out questions and cameras flashed overtime. Haley didn't know how Nathan would be able to understand anyone when they were all talking over each other.

"This is golden," Clay muttered. He looked like a kid on Christmas. It seemed like his plan had the desired effect.

Haley smiled and continued to watch as Nathan answered the reporters' questions. That is until she felt another sharp pain. She winced and shifted in her seat but could not get comfortable. It didn't help that she felt like peeing again.

"Clay," Haley whispered, "how much longer until this is over?"

"Probably ten more minutes."

It wasn't exactly a long time, but Haley knew she couldn't wait. Her bladder wasn't what it used to be, and her muscles were really starting to ache. The pains were coming quicker and taking longer to disappear.

"Where are you going?" Clay questioned when he noticed her getting up.

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"Are you sure it can't wait?"

Haley stood up and was just about to tell Clay that there is no waiting when you're pregnant when she felt it. She gasped, and her body went rigid. Immediately her hands went to her stomach.

Noticing her distress, Clay was beside her in an instant. "Haley, what's the matter?"

"You better wrap this press conference up quick."

"What? Why?"

Haley looked him straight in the eye and said in a voice much calmer than she felt: "Because my water just broke."


	47. Chapter 46

**AN: Thank you all so much for the reviews last chapter! I always appreciate you guys taking the time to comment. I know you guys had some questions. First of all, there will not be any more sequels to MTA once this story is finished. I know it's sad, but I think you guys will be satisfied with how it ends. **

**As for my upcoming stories, I will be posting _Feeling a Moment_ first. Mostly likely sometime next week. It's not a really long story; it's just under ten chapters. I'm going to take the summer to work on _Leave the Pieces_. The first several chapters are already written. If you guys want a little sneak peek there are excerpts from the first chapter in both Nathan and Haley's perspectives under my profile. They give you a little taste of what to expect. **

**But getting back to IY, here is the last chapter before the epilogue. I hope you guys like it. So please read and review. Thanks!**

* * *

**Chapter 46 **

**July 24, 2012**

"Come on, Hales, you're doing great," Nathan coached. Haley was in the middle of yet another one of her contractions. She squeezed his hand while practicing her breathing exercises. They seemed to be helping.

Haley sighed and shut her eyes. "I think it passed."

Nathan couldn't believe that they were actually at the hospital. It had happened so fast. One minute he was in the middle of a Q&A with the reporters, and the next Clay was whispering in his ear that Haley was in labor. Nathan had looked over at his wife, who was smiling despite the pain she felt. Their eyes had locked, and he knew the time had finally come.

The press had noticed that something was going on and started shouting out more questions. Nathan had turned back to the crowd, slightly stunned yet grinning, and said, "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to go. My wife and I are having a baby." It was pure chaos after that. The room was filled with the flashing of cameras and people talking over each other. Nathan immediately went to Haley's side and, with the help of Clay, guided her out of the building.

Once outside an ambulance was pulling up. Haley was put on a stretcher and placed in the back. Nathan gave his keys to Clay to drive the SUV over to the hospital while Nathan stayed with Haley. When they finally arrived, they checked in at the front desk and Haley was brought to a room to be examined. The doctor confirmed that her water had broke and that she was dilated enough to be admitted. Afterward they gave Haley her own room, and one of the nurses helped her change into the hospital gown. Once she was lying down, they hooked her up to a machine that would measure her contractions and monitor the baby's heart-rate. All that there was left to do was wait.

"That wasn't too bad," Nathan said as he looked at the read-out of the machine. It displayed the pain level.

"Speak for yourself," Haley muttered. Her contractions came every ten minutes and lasted for about thirty seconds. And they were only going to get worse. "You're never touching me again." She looked serious for a second before smiling.

Nathan smirked and shook his head. "If I could take the pain on myself, I would. But since I can't, I think you're doing just fine." He kissed her forehead.

"Well, you have been a good coach so far."

"Really? I still think I should've borrowed Whitey's whistle."

"Yeah right," she retorted as he laughed. "I didn't hurt your hand, did I?"

"I only lost feeling in my fingers for a few seconds that time. It's no big deal," he teased.

"I wish I felt sorry, but I don't," she quipped. He wasn't the one who'd gotten morning sickness, had killer cravings, crazy weight gain, aching back pains, and would have to go through hours of painful labor to deliver their son. The least he could do was lend her his hand to squeeze the life out of.

Nathan rolled his eyes playfully and brushed her hair out of her face. "Did you want me to get you some more of those ice chips? The doctor said you need to stay hydrated."

"That would be nice. Thank you."

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "I'll be right back."

Just as Nathan stepped out of the room, he almost collided with the nurse. "Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Oh, that's okay," she replied. "It was my fault. I was actually coming to see you, Mr. Scott."

"I was coming to see you, too. My wife needs some more ice chips."

"Of course. And I just wanted to let you know that you and your wife have some visitors in the waiting room asking for you. They say they're family."

"Oh, okay. I better go then. But can you—"

"I'll make sure your wife gets her ice chips," she reassured him and smiled knowingly. "This is your first baby, isn't it?"

Nathan shoved his hands in his pockets sheepishly. "Is it that obvious?"

"We can always spot the newbies. Most of the new fathers tend to panic over the slightest thing while the moms are calm. Well, some moms are calm. If you hear screaming and swearing coming from the delivery room, don't worry. Some women are more dramatic than others."

"Good to know," he muttered, not quite sure if she'd actually soothed his fears or just multiplied them.

"Well, I'll go get those ice chips for your wife now."

"Thanks." Nathan tried to push aside his nervousness and headed toward the waiting room. The visitors turned out to be Haley's parents. Lydia and Jimmy had decided to stay in Tree Hill with their RV for a while. They wanted to be around when the baby was born, and it looked as if their timing was perfect.

"Oh, Nathan," Lydia exclaimed and hugged him. "We were watching your press conference and then the next thing we knew Haley was in labor. We came as soon as we could."

"I know. It all happened so fast."

"How is she?" Jimmy questioned.

"She's doing good. It's still early, though. I'm just trying to keep her calm and comfortable during the contractions."

"Can we see her?" Lydia looked hopeful.

"Let me see how Haley is feeling first," Nathan replied. He didn't want to bring them into the room unless Haley was okay with it.

Jimmy nodded. "Sure, we understand."

Nathan returned to the room to find Haley in the middle of another contraction. Without hesitating, he was by her side and holding out his hand. She took it as he started to count down until it was over.

"Damn, that one hurt," Haley muttered.

"Look, your parents are in the waiting room. They wanted to come in and see you, if you're up to it."

"They can come in." She really wanted to see her mom and could use the distraction.

"Okay. I'll go get them."

Haley muttered something through her mouthful of ice chips. A couple of minutes later, Nathan returned with her parents in tow.

"Oh, look at my baby having her baby!" Lydia exclaimed in excitement. She hurried over and gave Haley a hug.

Haley smiled. "Hi, Mom."

"How are you doing, Pumpkin?" Jimmy asked, taking his turn to hug her.

"I'm hanging in there."

"Good, you have the ice chips. Those things saved my life when I had all of you kids."

"That and the drugs," Jimmy joked, causing them all to laugh.

"How's the hand, Nate? I swear Lydia almost broke mine when she was having Chris."

Nathan held it up. "It's so far so good."

"Hey, it's not my fault Chris inherited his father's big head. You try pushing out that bowling ball," Lydia defended.

"The baby doesn't have a big head, does he?" Jimmy asked them. "Because that'll be a tough one—ow!" He rubbed his ribs where Lydia had elbowed him.

Nathan and Haley exchanged a look.

"No. I'm sure the doctor would've mentioned that," Haley stated. Her words suddenly turned into gasp as another contraction began.

"Hee hee hoo. Hee hee hoo," Lydia breathed along with her. "That's it, Haley Bop. Just keep breathing and show that contraction who's boss."

"It's almost over, Hales," Nathan informed her.

Haley sighed in relief when it was finished and laid her head back against the propped up pillows. She yawned after a few seconds. The contractions were really starting to wear her down.

"Why don't we go and let you get some rest? You've got Nathan here to take care of you. We just wanted to see you and let you know that we'll be waiting to greet our grandson when he arrives," Lydia said and ran her hand through Haley's hair. "We're proud of you, Haley Bop. I know you're going to be a great mom."

Haley put her hand over hers. "Thanks, Mom."

"See you on the flip side, Pumpkin." Jimmy held up his fingers in a V-shape. "Peace out."

That had Haley and Nathan laughing and shaking their heads. Jimmy was always trying to act cool.

"They're too much," Haley giggled and closed her eyes.

"Are you going to sleep?"

"I'm going to try."

"Do you need anything else?"

"I could use some socks. My feet are cold."

"I'll ask the nurse."

"Wait," Haley called as he turned to leave. "You don't have to get them from her. There should be some in the overnight bag Brooke gave me." When she saw the stunned and guilty look on Nathan's face, she asked, "You did remember to bring the overnight bag, right?"

"I was going to put it in the car this week." Nathan ran his hand through his hair. They hadn't expected her to go into labor early. "Crap..."

* * *

"Have no fear, the fabulous Brooke Davis is here!" Brooke halted in the doorway when she saw Haley breathing loudly and her face contorted in pain. "Or not."

Nathan spared her a quick glance and then looked back at Haley. "Hey, Brooke. Just give us a few more seconds. Keep breathing, Hales. That's it. Five, four, three, two, one…"

Haley moaned. "Why can't I be dilated enough to get my stupid epidural? These things hurt like a mother."

"According to the monitor, they're not that—"

"Nathan Scott, if you tell me they're not that bad one more time I swear I will pelt you with ice chips," Haley snapped. She didn't care what that stupid monitor said. The contractions were really starting to hurt.

"Sorry. I was just trying to—"

"Well, don't." She looked at the doorway. "Hey, Brooke."

Brooke cautiously stepped into the room, not that Nathan blamed her. Haley was not in a good mood right now. She'd been in the early stages of labor for a couple of hours and her contractions were getting stronger and closer together.

"Hey, Tutor Mom. I'd ask how you're holding up, but I value my life so…" Brooke sent a sympathetic look to Nathan.

"Since you've brought my overnight bag, consider yourself safe."

"Great! Now what is it you need? I've got everything in here."

"She wants some socks," Nathan answered.

"And my iPod. Oh, and some magazines. Plus my hair-tie and chapstick," Haley listed.

"Don't you worry. I've got it all right here." Brooke dug through the bag and handed Haley her desired items. She handed the socks to Nathan, so he could put them on her.

"Thank you so much, Brooke."

"No problem. And can I say nicely done for you going into labor at the press conference. Talk about a grand finale," she teased, winking.

Haley shook her head and laughed. "It wasn't me. It was James. I think he likes the attention like his father."

"We can't help it if people are obsessed with us," Nathan declared, smirking.

"Cocky much?" Brooke quipped.

"Whatever. You didn't happen to grab my overnight bag, did you?"

"Where was it?"

"It was right next to Haley's."

"Shoot. I was so focused on Haley's, I forgot about yours. Sorry."

Nathan rubbed his hands over his face. He could feel his own energy draining. "Great." He felt awful. He was supposed to make sure everything was prepared for when Haley went into labor. So far he was failing miserably.

"I could go back to the house and—"

A knock sounded on the door, and they all turned to see who it was.

"Hey, Luke," Nathan said, surprised.

"Hi. I'm sorry to interrupt, but Clay called me and mentioned that you guys needed your bags. I went to the house and found yours, Nate." Lucas spared a glance at Brooke, who was judiciously avoiding his gaze. "I looked for Haley's, but I guess I know who had it now."

_Thank you, Clay_, thought Nathan. The guy was an awesome agent and friend who always somehow thought of everything. But then again, it was his job.

"How'd you get in?"

"You forget that we used to live together. I know where you would hide a spare key."

"Looks like I'll have to change that hiding spot now," Nathan muttered. "But thanks, Lucas. I really needed it."

"Sure. No problem." Lucas's eyes remained on the unnaturally quiet brunette. "Hey, Brooke."

"Hey," she replied. She hesitated a moment longer before finally looking at him. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife.

"You look good."

"Uh, thanks." Her eyes surveyed him. "You look…better."

"Thanks. I'm feeling a lot better, too. I actually just got a job today."

That seemed to come as a surprise to Brooke. "Doing what?"

"I'm going to coach the Ravens, since Whitey is retiring."

"Really?" Nathan beamed. "You're going to do it?" He'd been hoping that Lucas would take the job. He just knew that this would be the best thing for him. There was so much that Lucas could teach the team, and there was so much healing he would get in return out of helping them.

"I already called him this morning."

"That's awesome, Luke," Haley added.

Lucas looked to Brooke, as if seeking approval. Nathan and Haley shared a knowing glance and looked back at the pair.

"I'm glad. Congratulations," Brooke stated. "I'm sure you'll do great."

"Thanks." Lucas shuffled his feet nervously. "Would you, um…I mean, did you want to get a coffee in the cafeteria? I could tell you more about it."

"Oh, uh, I don't know—" She was cut off by Haley groaning.

"Don't mind me. Just another contraction," she said through clenched teeth. "I'm used to them. But for the record, let me just say that the two of you are seriously overdue for a long talk. Just stop running from each other and work it out already. Don't be idiots and let your chance at true happiness slip away. You're James's godparents for a reason, and you need to be together, damn it!"

"And she means that in the nicest possible way," Nathan added.

"Yeah, sure," Haley murmured. Her eyes were closed and she was gripping Nathan's hand tightly once again. She didn't mean to be so harsh with her friends, but she was in pain and really didn't have the time or patience to skirt around the truth.

"We're just going to go wait outside with the others," Lucas interrupted and pointed to the door.

"That's probably a good idea," Nathan agreed. He watched as Brooke and Lucas hurried out of the room before staring at Haley. She was mutterings something about Lamas and her ass. Whatever it was, it didn't sound pleasant. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Haley let out a breath in relief. It had been a little while since she'd been given the pain medication, and it was finally starting to kick in. She felt much more relaxed. The excruciating contractions were now nothing more than a dull tingle. Some she didn't even feel at all. Her anxiety about the delivery had decreased, as a result. Haley felt like she could actually enjoy this time and really focus on the arrival of their son. This would be one of the most important days of their life, after all.

"Are you okay?" Nathan questioned, watching her.

"I feel so much better."

He ran his hand through her hair and rubbed her shoulder. "Good." Nathan had hated seeing Haley in so much anguish. He'd done everything he could to keep her calm and make her more comfortable. But it wasn't until after she'd gotten her epidural that she actually looked at ease.

"I'm sorry about snapping at you earlier," Haley apologized. "I didn't mean it. I know that you were just trying to help." When the contractions had really started getting closer together and lasting for what felt like forever, her overall mood had not been pleasant. She felt bad now for taking some of her frustration out on Nathan. He'd only been trying to coach her like they'd learned in their classes.

"It's okay, Hales," Nathan reassured her. "I understand."

"I'm so glad that I have you here with me." She took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," he said and kissed her.

"I can't believe that this is finally happening. We're going to be able to see our son soon." Her smile was beaming.

"I know. I can't wait."

"Me, too. I really don't want to be in labor anymore."

Nathan chuckled. "I don't want you to be in labor anymore either."

"Will you still be able to dribble a basketball after this?" Haley teased, looking at his hands. She'd never gripped anything so hard in her life.

"I'll be fine. You just do what you need to do. If you have to squeeze my hand so hard that it breaks, then go ahead and do it," he joked back. "I'm sure Clay will find a good way to pitch it to the Bobcats."

Haley laughed and gave each one a kiss. "You're so sweet." She guided his face to hers for another kiss.

"Hello, Haley," the nurse said, entering the room. "Let's see how you're doing." She checked the machine readout and then examined Haley.

"Is everything okay?" Haley questioned.

"You and the baby are doing great. And you're fully dilated."

"Which means?" Nathan prodded.

The nurse smiled. "It's time to start pushing."

* * *

"Come on, Haley, just breathe," the doctor said.

Haley nodded and focused on her breathing while she pushed. Since she couldn't feel the full contraction, the nurse and doctor were instructing her when to push. She didn't know how long she'd been pushing, but it felt like hours. She was beginning to get tired.

"You're doing great, baby," Nathan encouraged. He held her hand once again and caressed her shoulder. Nathan was amazed by her strength. It had been a long labor, but Haley was working through it. Even now he could see that she was exhausted but still giving everything she had to deliver their son.

"Very good, Haley. Now push again…that's it. I see the head."

"We're almost there, Hales. You can do this."

"I'm trying," she muttered.

"All right, Haley," the doctor said. "I just need one more big push. Just one more, and you'll be done. Can you do that for me?"

"Okay." Her voice was strained as she geared herself up.

"Okay. One, two, three, push…"

Haley listened to the doctor and followed her body's instincts. Nathan's encouraging words in her ear also helped. Every last ounce of strength she had went into that push. She wanted to deliver the baby. She wanted to see their son for the first time. Haley had always wanted to be a mom and felt like she'd been waiting for this moment her entire life.

Nathan watched in awe as Haley delivered their son. He watched as the doctor took hold of the head and helped guide the baby out. The sound of crying filled the room seconds later. Haley exhaled loudly and slumped back, her breathing heavy. Nathan was torn between looking at her to make sure she was okay and their newborn son that the doctor now held in her hands.

"It's a boy," she announced.

As soon as Haley looked up and saw their son, her eyes filled with tears. She placed her hand over her mouth, crying. He was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. For nine months she'd felt him growing inside of her, and now he was finally here. She would finally be able to hold him.

Nathan reached out to stroke her face. "Haley, you did it. Relax. Just relax."

"You're a dad," she exclaimed. Her glowing smile was infectious, because Nathan soon found himself grinning.

"You did so good, baby. You did so good. We have a son." He kissed her hand and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "We have a son."

"I want to see him."

Once the doctor quickly cleaned and checked the baby, they handed him over to Haley.

Haley gazed down at her newborn son. "Hi, baby," she said. Her heart ached as she took him in. His eyes were wide open and staring up at her. He'd stopped crying as soon as she'd taken him in her arms. He only had a few wisps of hair on his head, and his little hands were sticking out of the blanket.

"Look at him," Nathan muttered. Their son was so small and yet Nathan couldn't remember a time that his heart had felt bigger. He was completely mesmerized.

"Welcome to the world, James Lucas Scott." Haley held him up a little more, so that he was closer to Nathan. "Look, that's your daddy."

"He's so beautiful." Nathan reached out to touch him, still not quite believing that this moment was real. He felt his heart clench when James grabbed onto his outstretched finger with his tiny hand.

"Are you saying hi to daddy?" Haley softly cooed.

Nathan's gaze shifted to her, and once again it felt like his heart might burst. He was so grateful for the woman before him. Haley was so strong and beautiful. She'd saved him so many times that he'd lost count. Everything good in his life had come from her, and now together they'd managed to create a whole new life all on their own. His wife was everything he'd ever dreamed of but never thought he could have.

Haley felt Nathan lift her chin up to look at him. Their eyes locked and air escaped her. Even after all of these years he still managed to take her breath away with just one look into those piercing blue eyes of his.

"You're amazing." He claimed her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss. "I love you so much, Hales."

Her eyes filled with more tears. "I love you, too, Nathan." She looked down at their son and then back at her husband with a brilliant smile. "Don't say I never gave you anything."


	48. Epilogue

**Okay guys, this is it. The final chapter! I want to thank everyone who has reviewed and supported this story/series. It always means so much to me, and I hope you've enjoyed reading this fic as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Also, keep an eye out for my upcoming stories. I'll probably post _Feeling a Moment _on Sunday. Again, thank you guys for all of your kind words and enjoy!**

* * *

**Epilogue **

**September 14, 2012**

Just as she put the finishing touches on her hair, Haley heard the sound of music playing softly from downstairs. She looked over herself once more in the mirror before leaving her room. She walked downstairs and entered the living room. When she heard what song was playing, a smile formed on her face.

"Unbelievable. He's only mellow when we play rap music." She walked closer to Nathan, who was sitting with James in his arms on the couch. He also had the TV on low, watching some sports show. "What happened to all the classical music I played for nine months?"

"I never told you this but after you fell asleep, I changed it to some old-school hip hop."

Haley's mouth dropped open in shock.

Nathan laughed when she nudged his shoulder. He looked down at Jamie in his arms and rocked him. "That's my boy. He likes some old-school hip hop." Glancing up, Nathan noticed his wife shaking her head at him. His eyes roamed over her, taking in her dress. "You look great."

Haley shrugged. "I guess." She ran her hands down her dress self-consciously. It had been a while since she'd dressed up like this. Most of the weight she'd gained while pregnant had come off after she'd had the baby, but Haley still didn't feel quite like her usual self. She didn't know why she'd let Brooke talk her in to wearing this dress earlier. Haley felt ridiculous.

"Hales, you look beautiful," he insisted and stood up. Nathan was already wearing his black dress pants and light blue, button-down shirt. He'd gotten dressed earlier and watched Jamie while Haley got ready. They couldn't be late tonight.

She blushed slightly. "Thanks. But I still don't know about this."

"Hales," Nathan warned.

"What? I don't think I should go. You can go ahead, and I'll just stay home with the baby."

Nathan gave her a look. "Haley, we talked about this. We promised Peyton that we'd both be there. And I think it'd be good for us. We haven't had much time to go out with our friends since the baby was born. We need a night to ourselves."

"Nathan, I can't leave him." The more Haley thought about leaving Jamie the more anxious she got. She couldn't help it. Either she or Nathan was always with Jamie. They'd never left him with someone else before.

"Hales, I have it all planned out."

She stroked Jamie's head. "Nathan—"

"We are going to the opening of Peyton's art gallery, and we're going to have a good time." Peyton had worked so hard these past few months to get her gallery ready. Tonight marked its grand opening, and she was throwing a party to celebrate. Everyone was so proud of her. There was no way that they could miss it.

"But what if he gets scared because we're not here?"

"Hales, he'll be with our moms. He'll be fine. They know what they're doing. They did raise us, you know."

"I know, but—"

As if on cue, there was knock on the door. Nathan went to answer it. Deb and Lydia walked inside, and their eyes instantly landed on Jamie.

"Oh, there he is. Let me see my precious little grandson," Lydia said.

"He's just the cutest baby boy in the whole wide world," Deb cooed. She looked up and smiled. "Except for you, Nathan, of course."

Nathan rolled his eyes good-naturedly and handed Jamie to Lydia. He found it amusing how their parents now always went straight for the baby first before acknowledging them.

"You two look nice," Deb observed and checked her watch. "You should probably get going now before you're late."

"Well, I was thinking of staying home actually," Haley spoke up.

Lydia frowned. "Why would you do that?"

"Haley doesn't want to leave Jamie," Nathan answered before she could.

"Oh, nonsense. He'll be perfectly fine. You two go out and have fun. You deserve it. You won't get many chances like this as he gets older, trust me."

"I know. It's just that it'll be our first night away from him," Haley said, still not convinced.

"We know that it can be hard, but everything will be fine," Deb reassured her.

"Look, Deb, I'm sure that—"

"Haley James Scott, you are going to that party," Lydia interrupted in a stern voice.

"We insist," Deb added and nudged Haley toward the door.

Nathan grabbed their coats. "See, Hales, they've got it under control." He needed to get Haley out of the house before she changed her mind again.

"Have fun at the party."

Haley let Nathan put her coat on her. "Okay, but there is a list of emergency numbers on the fridge. I even put Peyton's number down in case you can't reach us."

"Okay."

"And I left his bottle in the refrigerator on the—"

"We'll find it," Lydia interrupted.

"Also, he really likes—"

"We'll figure it out," Deb said. "You're going to be late."

"He gets fussy around nine sometimes so—" Haley continued.

"Don't worry. I'll just put a shot of whiskey in his milk like I did with you kids. It'll put him right out."

Haley's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "What?"

Lydia laughed. "Just kidding." She glanced down at Jamie, cooing, "Isn't Grandma funny?"

Nathan took hold of Haley's arm and pulled her out the door before Lydia could say something else that might freak her out. She was panicking as it was. They were going to Peyton's gallery opening, and they were going to have a good time if it was the last thing they did.

* * *

Nathan slammed the car door shut after stepping onto the sidewalk. They'd had to park along the street, since all the spaces in the parking lot were full. It seemed as if the grand opening celebration was already in full swing. Nathan couldn't wait to get inside. He seriously needed a beer right now.

"Okay, we'll have fun but I'm just saying that maybe I should give our moms a quick call just to check in," Haley said, rifling through her purse.

Nathan put his hand on hers to halt her. She hadn't stopped talking about Jamie since they left the house. "Hales, come on. I miss the boy, too, but we are not going to be those crazy, obsessive parents." He met her gaze and caressed her shoulders. "We deserve to have one great night with our friends."

Haley saw the pleading look in her husband's eyes. She bit her lip and nodded, knowing that he was right. She was being obsessive. They had earned this. Ever since Jamie had been born they'd spent most of their time at home with him. Haley couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Brooke or Peyton instead of just talking to them on the phone.

"Okay," she relented. "I won't call."

"All right." He leaned down and kissed her. "Tonight is going to be awesome."

They made their way inside and looked around. The space was so different from the last time Haley had seen it. There was color everywhere as Haley scanned Peyton's work that hung on the walls and floor displays. The room actually looked bigger with the way Peyton had everything set up.

"There's Jake." Nathan pointed across the room. He and Haley made their way through the crowd to the makeshift bar. Jake was there, along with Lucas, Clay, and Keith.

"Hey, you made it." Jake hugged them both before the others greeted them.

"This place looks fantastic," Haley said. "Peyton really did a great job."

"Yeah, she did." Jake was beaming proudly. "She was so nervous about tonight, but I knew that it would turn out well. Did you guys want a drink? There's also some food if you're hungry."

"I'll have a beer," Nathan said.

Haley shrugged. "I'll just have club soda."

"You sure?" Clay asked. "It's open bar."

"I've never been a big drinker. And I couldn't drink even if I wanted to. Not with the baby."

"But you already had the baby." Clay seemed confused.

"Yes, but I'm breastfeeding."

"Oh. Right. _That_."

Haley laughed at the uncomfortable look on his face and thanked Jake for her drink. "So where is Peyton? And Brooke for that matter?"

"They're around somewhere," Lucas answered. "I thought I saw them toward the front."

"Well, I'm going to go see if I can find them."

Keith ordered himself another drink and turned to Nathan. "So, Nate, we haven't seen you around much. How's everything going with the baby?"

"Great." Nathan reached into his pocket for his wallet. He pulled out a picture to show them.

"Good looking, kid," Lucas commented. "Looks just like his uncle."

Nathan rolled his eyes as they all laughed. "Whatever. I made that."

Clay patted his shoulder. "Nice work, man."

"Thanks." Nathan beamed proudly, causing them to crack up a second time.

"So, did you hear the news?" Jake asked once they'd settled down.

Nathan shook his head in response.

"No way you're telling him," Clay cut in, looking excited about the change of topic. "That's my job."

"Telling me what? What's going on?"

"Jerome Garret got caught for using steroids. He's being thrown out of the NBA," Lucas answered.

"Oh, come on!" Clay complained. "That was totally my news. I am his agent, for crying out loud."

Lucas shrugged. "You snooze you lose, man."

"Are you serious?" Nathan was completely shocked. "When did this happen?"

"It was announced on the six o'clock news," Keith said.

"I was going to tell you tonight but"—Clay motioned to the others—"they apparently beat me to it."

"Wow." Nathan had not expected that at all but wasn't necessarily surprised. He could totally see Jerome being involved in some shady stuff. In a way, Jerome being kicked out of the league was a relief. One of Nathan's concerns this season was facing Jerome again. He wasn't going to fall for that punk's dirty tricks but that didn't mean that Jerome wouldn't try something else. Nathan was glad that Jerome would be gone. The jackass was finally getting what he deserved.

"Now everyone will know what a disgrace to the game he truly is. Good riddance."

"Hell yes," Lucas exclaimed.

They all raised their glasses and clinked them together.

"So, now that you can rest assured that asshole won't be gunning for you this season, are you ready for training camp?" Jake questioned.

Before the season began next month, Nathan had to attend the Bobcats' training camp to get back in shape and practice with his new teammates. He couldn't wait to get back on the court. "Yes, I am. I went to the doctor last week, and he said my knee is ready."

"That's great, Nathan," Keith stated. "I'm sure you'll make all of us Bobcats fans proud."

"I'll try my best." Nathan turned to Lucas. "Speaking of making us proud, what about the Ravens? Do you think they'll make it to the state championship this year?"

Lucas had officially taken over for Whitey as the Ravens' head coach. Once in a while Nathan would go to practice to check up on the guys, but he hadn't had much time lately—what with Jamie and preparing for his season with the Bobcats.

"I can't make any official predictions yet," Lucas said in an overly formal voice. He then cracked a smile. "But off the record, we're totally going to kick ass."

Keith slapped him on the back. "Now that's what I'm talking about."

"Clay. Clay," a voice called.

The guys turned to see a pretty blonde walking toward them.

"I found the perfect painting for our apartment. Baby, you have to come see it."

"I'll be there in a sec, Sarah."

"Okay, but hurry. I don't want someone else to get it first."

Clay faced the guys just as she disappeared back into the crowd. "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Nathan didn't even try to hide his satisfied smirk. "You're never gonna settle down, huh?"

Sarah was a nurse that Clay had met at the hospital when Haley was in labor. No matter how much Clay tried to downplay it, Nathan could tell that his friend had been taken with her from the start. Usually Clay would have no problem talking about his various hook-ups. But with Sarah, Clay was much more reluctant to say anything about her.

"We're just moving in together," he tried to downplay it. But the flush spreading across this face was giving him away.

"Which is always the first step," Jake added.

"Come on, man. Admit it," Nathan said. "You're totally in love with her."

Clay had put in a request to his boss asking if he could operate from the East Coast for a while instead of Seattle. Originally Clay had said he'd wanted to stay closer to Nathan so that he could oversee his progress before the season began. Nathan was sure it was true, but he also knew the main reason was so that Clay could be around Sarah more. Nathan didn't blame him either. Sarah was a nice girl. She and Haley actually got along really well whenever they all got together—which, since the baby was born, wasn't often.

"And how would you know that?" Clay was still dodging the question.

"Because we've all been there, kid," Keith jumped in. "And that look in your eyes when you see her says you're a goner."

Clay took a large swig of his beer. "Damn it." His voice took on a panicked tone. "Do you think she knows?"

Jake shrugged. "She probably does. Somehow they always know."

"And if she doesn't, then you better tell her," Lucas added. "Even if they know, they still want to hear us say it. And if we don't, then they'll find someone who will."

"Damn, why is this shit so hard?" Clay mumbled while running a hand through his hair.

Nathan laughed and slapped his friend on the back. "They call it 'falling' in love for a reason. Sucks, doesn't it?" he joked. Nathan knew exactly what Clay was going through. He'd been the same way at one time. You'd think all of the casual dating and random hook-ups would teach you how to deal with women. But the truth is that it doesn't amount to anything when it comes to saying those three simple yet powerful words to the one that matters. All a guy could really do is put himself out there and hope for the best.

"No kidding." Clay looked up as Sarah appeared in the crowd again, waving him over. He looked at the guys, cracked his knuckles, and moved his head from side to side.

"You're just telling her you love her, Clay. Not going into battle," Nathan teased.

Clay ignored him and stared straight ahead, his eye on the prize, apparently. "Wish me luck, guys. I'm going in."

They all chuckled as he headed toward Sarah.

"So how long until he blurts it out, do you think?" Lucas spoke up.

Nathan grinned and reached for his wallet. "Twenty bucks says two minutes."

Jake pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of his own wallet and placed it on the bar. "You're on."

* * *

Haley snuck into a corner of the gallery. She glanced around, making sure that she couldn't be seen. When the coast was clear, she pulled out her cell phone. She clicked speed dial for the desired number and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hey, Deb…hi," Haley said, keeping her voice low. "It's me. I'm sorry to bother you, I just wanted to…check in, yeah…everything's great. Okay, good. Thanks. Also, could you just not tell Nathan that I, um, called—this time or the last time…Thanks. Also, before you go, he really likes his little—" The line went dead, and Haley stared at the phone. "Giraffe," she finished.

"Haley, what are you doing?"

Haley jumped, panicked. She let out a sigh of relief a second later when she saw that it was just Peyton and Brooke. "Oh my God, you guys, you startled me."

"Tutor Mom, what are you doing hiding in a corner?" Brooke asked, clearly amused by the sight.

"I was just calling the house to check on Jamie," she replied, her tone nonchalant.

Peyton smiled knowingly. "You're hiding from Nathan, aren't you?"

She sighed. "Okay, maybe just a little."

"What? Why?" Brooke laughed.

"Because he said that we should enjoy our night out and not worry like a couple of high-strung parents."

"Well, I see you're making great progress with that," Peyton teased.

"I can't help it. It's the first time Nathan and I have left him with someone else."

"Who is babysitting, by the way?"

"Deb and my mom."

"I'm sure Jamie's fine," the blonde reassured her. "They have been parents for years, after all."

"Exactly," Brooke agreed.

Haley put her phone back in her purse and took a deep breath. "I promise no more calls. Just please don't tell Nathan. He'll never let me live it down."

"We got your back, Tutor Mom."

"Thank you." Haley's eyes honed in on the wet spot on Brooke's dress. "What happened to you?"

Brooke's smile faded and she huffed out, "Some jackass spilled wine on my dress."

"Please don't get her started," Peyton whispered pleadingly.

"I'm going to have to take it to get cleaned. And even worse is that I freaking look like I've lactated."

Haley grinned and motioned to her own breasts. "Welcome to the club."

Brooke eyed Haley's larger-than-normal cleavage. "I guess pregnancy can have its perks. It's like a natural boob job."

"Gee, thanks, Tigger," she muttered as Peyton chuckled.

"I'm just saying, you're packing, Tutor Mom."

"Getting off the topic of boobs before this conversation gets any weirder"—Haley looked to Peyton—"this place is amazing. You did such a great job."

A beaming smile lit up Peyton's face. "Thanks."

"You should be proud."

"Everything looks great, P. Sawyer. I already saw three paintings I want to buy," Brooke added as she glanced around.

"It was a lot of hard work, but I did it. And I couldn't be happier. It's the first time in a long time that my work actually feels like it matters."

"Well, it does. And it's a great feeling to have," Haley encouraged. "I haven't seen everything yet, but you can count on Nathan and me purchasing something before the end of the night."

"Actually, I think I might have just the thing," Peyton declared and motioned for them to follow her. They walked around a few displays and stopped in front of one toward the entrance of the gallery. "Here it is. What do you think?"

Haley stared at the large portrait and felt her eyes start to water. "Peyton, it's…when did you do this?"

"That day I watched Jamie while you tutored one of your students. You were in the dining room while I stayed in the nursery and sketched. I just made it bigger later on."

Haley had started running the Tutoring Center when school had started back up a couple of weeks ago. She worked part-time and was thankful that she didn't have to go in every day. Haley wanted to be with Jamie as much as possible right now. It made it easier that some of her tutees were willing to come to her house for an afterschool session. Sometimes Quentin and Jack would come together. Even Sam would tag along once in a while. They were in a lot of the same classes this year.

Haley enjoyed having them over and knew that Nathan did, too. They'd really formed a close bond with those kids. It made Haley all the more thankful that they were staying in Tree Hill, still able to help them. If Nathan couldn't be home, then Haley would sometimes have Peyton, Brooke, or even her mom—her parents had decided to stay in town for a while longer—over to babysit Jamie while she tutored. Haley didn't want to interrupt her students' sessions and lose time with them if Jamie kept on crying.

But she'd had no idea what Peyton was planning while she was busy. Haley was completely mesmerized at the portrait Peyton had drawn of Jamie. She'd managed to capture the soft curves of his face and the usual pucker of his tiny lips. It was almost like Jamie was actually there at this very moment.

"It's beautiful. I'll take it."

"It's on the house."

"What? No, Peyton. You don't have to—"

"I want you to have it. You helped me get here, Haley, by encouraging me to pursue my dreams. Consider it a thank you present for your support."

"Thank you, Peyton," Haley said and pulled her into a hug.

"And don't worry, B. Davis. You'll be getting a free portrait, too. It's my way of saying thank you for listening to all my bitching about the record company. And for recommending the caterer. The food really is fabulous."

Brooke had had a grand opening party for her boutique last month. Nathan had gone, but Haley couldn't make it. She had to stay with Jamie that night. Nathan had said that it was really great with the way Brooke had everything set up. He'd even bought Haley a gift, which turned out to be a really cute black purse. Of course Brooke had guided her husband in his selection. It's not like Nathan knew anything about fashion—women's or otherwise.

"You're welcome, P. Sawyer."

The three stood there, hugging, while people passed by. Some watched them curiously while others continued to peruse Peyton's work. Eventually the three pulled away, and Peyton took them on a tour of the rest of the gallery.

"So, Brooke," Peyton said a while later, "since we're talking about art, you have any new sketches you've been working on?"

"You know me. I'm always planning ahead. In fact, I am working on a whole new brand of clothes."

"Really?" Haley questioned, intrigued. "What is it?"

"It's going to be a men's clothing line."

"But isn't the company called Clothes Over Bro's?" Peyton pointed out.

Brooke smiled, as if anticipating the question. "Yes. But that's why this new line is going to be called Clothes For Bro's. You see, I was thinking about my customers and realized that if a woman has style—which she surely does if she's wearing my brand—then she'd probably like her man to look good, too."

Haley nodded in approval. "Makes sense."

"Very nice, Brooke."

"Thank you," she replied, grinning with pride.

"What about the rest of your life?" Peyton prodded.

Brooke frowned and asked, "What do you mean?" She most definitely knew what Peyton was asking but was trying to avoid it.

Peyton pushed on. "I know you and Lucas came here together tonight. Does that mean what I think it means?"

Things had been different between Brooke and Lucas after Haley had given birth to Jamie. From what Lucas told Nathan, he and Brooke had finally had that long overdue talk. Lucas had apologized to Brooke for his behavior and asked if she could ever give him a second chance. It had started out slow, but the pair began to talk more and hang out since then. It looked as if they were on the road to reconciliation.

Brooke stared at the ground for a moment. When she looked back up, a small smile formed on her face. "Technically, tonight is supposed to be a date."

"And?" Peyton motioned for her to give them more.

"Which means that yes, we're back together," she announced. "And I'll be moving back in." Lucas was still living in their house while Brooke stayed at her parents'.

"Brooke, that's awesome! We've all been rooting for you."

"We just want you guys to be happy," Haley added. "Are you happy?"

"Yes, I am," Brooke declared. "Things are kind of different, but I seem to have my Lucas back."

Peyton nudged her playfully. "Does that mean we'll be attending a wedding in the near future?"

Brooke's smile faded slightly. "We're back together, but we're not engaged."

"You're not?" Haley questioned, her brow furrowed.

"No. Lucas and I are taking things slow. I know that he's sorry for what happened and has moved on from it, but it's been a little harder for me to forget. He hurt me so badly before that I—I just need to make sure that we completely heal from this before we take the next step."

Haley could understand her friend's logic. Lucas had put them all through hell—Brooke especially. It would take time for those wounds to heal and for Lucas and Brooke to be the couple they once were. But if anyone could do it, it was them.

"You guys will work it out," Peyton said.

Haley mumbled her agreement and rubbed Brooke's arm soothingly.

"Well, um, I did kind of have something to tell you guys. But, uh, maybe I should wait."

Haley and Brooke looked at Peyton. "What is it, P. Sawyer?"

"No. Never mind. It's—"

"Peyton," Brooke cut in, "we're your friends. You can tell us anything."

"I just don't want to be insensitive."

"Why would you be insensitive?" Haley questioned, puzzled.

"Because…well…" Haley and Brooke stared at her expectantly. "Because Jake asked me to marry him, and I said yes," the blonde finally declared.

"What?" Haley and Brooke exclaimed. Heads turned at their loud voices, but neither cared. All they could focus on was Peyton's news.

"Oh my God, Peyton, that's amazing!" Haley congratulated her.

"Way to go, P. Sawyer," Brooke cheered.

"There's more," Peyton interjected, suddenly nervous again. "I'm, uh…I'm pregnant."

Haley and Brooke let out more squeals of surprise and delight.

"Shut up!" Brooke exclaimed. "I can't believe it. That's so wonderful. How far along are you?"

"Seven weeks," Peyton answered, looking relieved at their positive responses. "I found out last week and told Jake a few days ago."

"I'm assuming he took it well considering he proposed to you," Brooke stated.

"Actually, the night I told him was the night he planned to propose to me anyway. I guess we both had a surprise for each other."

"Peyton, congratulations. Really," Haley said sincerely. "It couldn't happen to two better people."

"And you should never have to hide your good news or feel guilty about it. No matter what Luke and I are going through, we're so happy for the both of you."

Before they even knew it or could stop it, the trio was hugging again and crying. And although they were all experiencing so many new, exciting, and sometimes confusing things, it was just like old times.

* * *

Nathan searched through the crowd for his wife. He'd been hanging out with the guys for a while. Eventually Brooke and Peyton came to join them. Nathan got a little worried when Haley didn't return with them and took off looking for her. He breathed a sigh of relief when he finally spotted her. She was standing in front of a portrait, seemingly lost to the outside world as she looked at it intently. Walking up behind her, Nathan closed the gap and wrapped his arms around her.

Haley jumped, startled. "You scared me."

"Sorry," he replied. "I was looking for you. I got worried when Brooke and Peyton showed up without you."

"Well, as you can see, I'm fine. I was right here." She motioned to the display in front of them. "Look."

Nathan took in the drawing and found his eyes widening in surprise. "Is that a portrait of Jamie?"

"Yeah. Peyton drew it for us."

"It's amazing. And so lifelike." Suddenly Nathan found himself missing his son terribly. He'd been telling Haley that tonight was supposed to be about them and that they shouldn't worry. It was easier said than done, especially when looking at the picture. Every so often he checked his phone, expecting one of their moms to call because Jamie was either crying or being fussy. Nathan could've sworn at one point that he even heard a baby cry. This whole separation thing was much harder than he'd expected.

"I know," Haley said, smiling. "I miss him. Maybe I should just call the house and—"

Nathan's arms tightened around her before she could get away. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked, trying to distract her but also actually admiring the way she looked in her dress. It had thin straps with a hem that ended just above the knee, and had a light blue, green, and brown pattern. Haley had kept her hair down tonight in soft waves that shaped her face and wore simple jewelry to accent the already colorful ensemble.

"Yes. But you could've just said it to get me out the door faster," Haley teased.

"Well, you are. Beautiful, I mean." He turned her around to face him.

Deep brown met striking blue, and Haley felt her heart begin to hammer in her chest. She abruptly became aware of their closeness and Nathan's strong arms holding her to him. Goose bumps formed on her skin where their bodies were touching, and it almost felt like a live current was running between them.

"You know, I went to the doctor today," Haley said, keeping her voice low.

"Uh-huh," Nathan mumbled, not quite processing her words. He was too busy staring at her pink, glossy lips.

"She said that I'm all healed."

"Good." He was still distracted.

"She gave me the green light for us to…be together."

He felt Haley place a hand on his cheek and guide his eyes back to hers. "What?" What was she trying to say? He'd completely zoned out on her lips for a minute.

"Nathan, we can be together. Like, _together_," Haley emphasized.

It took a moment before her words registered in his mind and his eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh."

Haley bit her lip and grabbed a hold of Nathan's hand. She led him through the crowd of people to the back of the gallery. Glancing around to make sure they weren't seen, they slipped through the door and followed the hallway until stopping in front of the bathroom. Haley knocked on the door quickly a couple of times. When there was no response, she turned the knob and dragged Nathan inside the empty bathroom with her. It was small and nicely decorated, but Haley could care less. She had more urgent things on her mind.

"Haley, what are we doing?" Nathan barely managed to get out before she faced him.

"Kiss me," she demanded and started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Hales, we're in the bathroom of Peyton's gallery, and our friends are all out there"

"I locked the door, and none of our friends saw us." She pushed the shirt back over his shoulders. "So kiss me."

Nathan didn't know whether he was more shocked or turned on. Usually he was the one trying to convince her in the heat of the moment that they wouldn't get caught. However, seeing the lust and desire in her eyes was his undoing. His own need for her completely took over. He'd been suppressing it and trying not to think too much about it. They hadn't been able to have sex since Haley gave birth to Jamie. They were supposed to wait a while so her body could heal, but that didn't mean it wasn't complete torture.

His lips claimed hers in a hot, visceral kiss. "God, I've missed you. These have been the seven longest weeks of my life," he muttered, backing her up against the wall. When they weren't taking care of Jamie or working, then they were sleeping. And with Haley still recovering, that didn't leave much to do when they did have time alone together.

"I know." Haley made fast work of undoing his belt and pants. Nathan growled into her mouth when he felt her grind her body into his. He kissed a trail down her neck to her chest, sucking on her exposed cleavage. Meanwhile, his hands explored every inch of her body. They caressed her waist, dropping lower until he reached the hem of her dress. He bunched it up and ran his fingers up her inner thighs until he was touching her intimately.

Haley let out a choked moan as she pushed herself harder into him. Her whole body was shaking, eager to feel every inch of him inside her. Haley didn't realize how empty she actually felt up until this moment.

As if sensing that she slipping, Nathan clutched her thighs and lifted her up. Her back slammed into the wall once again, and the pain felt good. She missed being pressed up tightly against his chest. For months her round stomach had been a barrier, limiting their contact. Now that her body was back to normal, there was nothing separating them.

"We should hurry before someone comes to use the bathroom," Nathan muttered, his voice muffled by her mouth covering his.

Haley nodded, not trusting her voice. It would probably just come out as gibberish, she was so far gone. Even if someone did come knocking on the door, she didn't care. They couldn't stop; not now. She felt him reaching into his pocket for the necessary protection. As much as they loved Jamie, they didn't want to chance having another baby in the near future.

Nathan's hands stroked her thighs once more before reaching her panties. Her breath came out in a ragged hiss as he pushed them aside and brushed himself against her. Instinctively her legs tightened around his waist, her hips moving forward to meet his.

"Are you sure?" Nathan whispered, looking into her eyes. The doctor had told them what to expect. As much as he wanted Haley, he didn't want to hurt her either.

"I'm sure," she replied, caressing his cheek. "I miss you."

He nodded and kissed her tenderly. The frenzied need and desire that they'd felt before was still intense but had slowed. Slowly and gently he pushed himself inside of her. Haley gasped and clutched his shoulders.

"Are you okay? We can stop," he rushed out, concerned.

Haley shook her head. "No, it's okay." Despite the pain, she wanted this. She managed a smile and kissed his lips.

Nathan brushed her hair out of her face and let her take the lead. He followed her movements, whispering in her ear how much he loved her and how beautiful she was. He knew that she'd been a little self-conscious and nervous these past few weeks about them being intimate again. She was still trying to get her body back into shape and adjusting to life with their son. But right now he didn't want her to worry about anything. This moment was just about them.

Shutting her eyes, Haley concentrated on Nathan and how good it felt to be connected to him again. Eventually she felt her body relax into his as the pleasure took over. She kissed him deeply, trying to suppress the moans threatening to break free as they rocked into each other.

Pulling away, Nathan rested his head in the crook of her neck. His eyes were squeezed shut, his senses on overload. He'd missed being with Haley so much. Just thinking that they'd be entirely separated in another week when he went off to training camp made his heart ache. As much as he loved basketball, Nathan hated leaving her.

Haley panted his name as the pleasure in her body soared. She'd been told not to expect much from their first time back together, but it felt as if she would be getting exactly what she craved most. All of the stress, tension, and frustration that had been building for weeks were being wiped away with every movement she and Nathan made together. Haley clung to him, urging him on.

"Hales, I'm going to—" His words disappeared as her mouth devoured his.

"I know. Me, too," she breathed in between kisses. Her fingers ran through his hair and along his back. She shivered, feeling his muscles flexing under her touch. "Don't stop."

Nathan's steady thrusts and the way his mouth sucked on the tender patch of skin just under her neck were driving her to the brink. Haley felt her body hitch and then release. Her head fell back as the intense pleasure coursed through her. Nathan was still pounding into her, and it wasn't long before he, too, fell over the edge.

They stilled and tried to catch their breath as they came down from their high. Nathan laid a few more loving kisses on his wife's lips before setting her down and reluctantly pulling away.

"We should probably get back out there."

"Yeah." Haley pulled the hem of her dress back down and fixed her hair.

Nathan, meanwhile, redid his pants and retrieved his shirt.

"Are you ready?" she asked when she felt presentable again. After Nathan nodded, she turned for the door. His hand on her arm, however, halted her. She let Nathan pull her toward him and met him halfway when she saw him leaning down. He kissed her slowly yet passionately. It was one of those kisses that Haley could feel all the way down to her toes, and her body was humming all over again.

After another minute, he moved back. His eyes bored into hers. "I love you."

Haley smiled, unable to keep from blushing. "I love you, too."

When the moment was over, they quickly left the bathroom—thankful that no one had been waiting outside. They searched the crowd until finally spotting their group of friends. Everyone was by the food table talking and laughing. Nathan took Haley's hand in his and led the way. "Hey, where have you guys been?" Peyton asked.

All eyes were on them.

Nathan and Haley shared a private smile. "No where."

* * *

The car had barely screeched to a halt before Haley started undoing her seatbelt. _I knew we shouldn't have gone out tonight_, was the mantra playing over in her head. She and Nathan had been having a great time with their friends at the gallery, but Haley had started to get worried. She had called the house a couple of times, but no one had picked up. Both their mothers' cell phones were off, too. Finally, Haley tried the house one last time. When she heard that the line had been disconnected, panic immediately set in.

Regardless of the scolding she would probably get from Nathan, Haley told him about her unanswered calls to the house and their moms' cell phones being off. Thankfully Nathan's first reaction had mirrored her own and after saying a quick good-bye to their friends, the pair had bolted to the car and sped home.

Nathan fumbled with the keys, cursing under his breath. He couldn't get the damn door open fast enough. When the key did finally go in and the door was unlocked, they rushed into the house.

"Mom," Haley called. "Deb."

"They're not down here," Nathan said after checking. He then proceeded to follow Haley upstairs.

"Mom," Haley shouted again and halted when she reached the nursery.

Nathan, not expecting her to stop so abruptly, banged into her from behind. "Sorry," he muttered and steadied her.

Haley barely seemed to notice, though, and he followed her gaze. In the center of the room with Jamie in her arms sat Lydia, rocking back in and forth on the chair. Nathan and Haley let out a sight of relief.

"You're here."

"Of course I am. Where else would I be?" Lydia replied in a soft voice, barely tearing her eyes away from Jamie.

"My mom's car wasn't parked outside," Nathan said. "And I tried calling, but the line was dead and your cell phones weren't on."

"Deb went out to buy some popcorn for the movie we were going to watch. And as for the phone, I unplugged it."

Haley stared at her, baffled. "But why would you do that?"

Lydia looked up at them. "Because the two of you were driving us crazy."

Haley knelt down and stroked Jamie's head, a frown marring her face. "The two of us?" She looked to Nathan.

He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I might've called a couple of times."

Lydia smiled. "Six times."

A huge, smug grin spread across Haley's face. "You crazy, obsessive parent."

"You called eight."

Haley blushed, embarrassed, and kissed Jamie's head. "I couldn't help it. I missed him."

"As you can see, he's fine."

"Lydia, I got the pop—" Deb stared at them all. "What's going on? Why are you guys back so soon?"

"They were worried when we unplugged the phone."

"Well, we had to. How else could we get him to sleep with it ringing every five minutes?" Deb shook her head. "My how the tables have turned. Look who are the uptight parents now?" she teased.

Lydia stood up and handed Jamie to Haley. "Just as well. You're home, and he's sleeping now. I guess our work here is done. Although I was looking forward to our movie."

"I've got a giant flat screen and surround sound at my house," Deb said.

"Sweet! Let's go."

Haley giggled softly at how excited their moms were at the prospect of a movie night.

"Enjoy your sleep tonight. I gave him enough whiskey to keep him in dreamland until morning."

Nathan's mouth dropped open as Haley gasped. "Mom!"

"She's just kidding," Deb reassured them and led Lydia out of the room. "I was the one she gave the whiskey."

"So not funny, Mom," Nathan replied.

"They have one kid and already they've lost their sense of humor," Lydia mumbled as they left.

Deb's voice drifted from the hallway. "And they say we're old. How whack is that?"

"Fo' schizzle."

Haley and Nathan exchanged a look and smiled. Their moms really needed to lay off the hip hop.

* * *

The room was dark, with only a few beams of light coming from the full moon outside. But it was just enough for Haley to watch the rise and fall of Jamie's chest as he took little breaths. His tiny lips were puckered and his fingers curled in. He looked so adorable fast asleep in his teddy bear pajamas. Not ready to let him go just yet—she had missed him terribly tonight—Haley had brought Jamie into their bedroom. She placed him on a little basketball blanket on their bed. After she and Nathan had changed out of their clothes and gotten ready for bed, they'd settled down on their respective sides, with Jamie in the middle.

It still amazed Haley that she had a baby. It was the quiet moments like this that she found it hard to believe that this was her life. She had great friends, a beautiful home, a gratifying job, and a husband and son that she loved more than anything. This was her definition of perfect.

"You're going to be a great mom, you know that?" Nathan said. His voice was so soft, Haley almost didn't hear him.

Haley smiled. "You think so?"

"Yes. Actually, you already are a great mother. The way you are with him…it's amazing to watch." Nathan placed his hand on Jamie's stomach and began rubbing it gently.

"And you're a great dad. I love that you're so hands-on. I thought for sure it would take me longer to get you to change diapers."

Nathan chuckled. "Me, too. But I don't want to miss anything. I want to do everything that I can before…" he trailed off.

"Before the season starts," Haley finished for him.

"Yeah." As much as Nathan loved basketball and couldn't wait to play again, a small part of him was dreading it. It was hard enough leaving Haley to go on the road. But now that they'd had Jamie, the idea of leaving was so much worse.

"We're going to miss you."

Nathan reached out to stroke her cheek. "I'm going to miss you guys, too."

"I'm so proud of you, though. You've been through so much this year."

"We've been through so much," Nathan corrected. "I don't know how you do it. You're always so strong."

"Well, I get that from you. You've always made me brave." She placed her hand over his. Their life together had never been easy. Then again, life was always a constant barrage of pivotal moments, both good and bad. But what made it all worth living was having someone to share it with. And no matter how perfect or even disparaging it could feel at times, knowing that Nathan—who never let anything defeat him and was always pushing forward—was by her side through it all filled her with an unyielding confidence and tranquility she'd never felt before.

"That's funny considering I think I get it from you."

She leaned in to kiss him softly. "I guess that makes us even, then."

"Can you do me a favor?" She nodded. "We've got money, and you're only working part-time. Stash the key with Brooke and get yourself and our baby to Charlotte as much as possible. Promise me."

"I promise," she said, smiling.

In that moment, Nathan tried to memorize every detail of his wife. She was wearing a pretty, pale silk nightgown. Her now long, wavy hair was down and her face completely free of makeup. Her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth in that cute, innocent habit of hers. She looked so natural and beautiful that it took his breath away.

"What?" Haley asked when he kept looking at her. They were so close together, she was sure he could see her blush even in the darkness.

"You're the love of my life, Haley James. You know that?"

His words made her shiver and had her heart hammering in her chest. In response, she touched her lips to his. The kiss was gentle but full of emotion. "It's Scott, actually," she said.

Nathan pulled back slightly. "What?"

"You called me Haley James. It's Haley James Scott." She kissed him again, causing him to groan softly. "And it always will be."

Jamie let out a little sigh, and they broke apart, smiling. They snuggled in closer, including him in their embrace.

"I'm glad we moved back to Tree Hill," Haley whispered a couple of minutes later. "I finally feel like we're home."

Nathan just smiled and glanced down at their son. He couldn't agree more.


End file.
